Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - 1840-1893
Symphony No. 1 in G minor, Op. 13, "Winter Daydreams" - Composed in 1866
I. Allegro tranquillo (Dreams of a Winter Journey)
II. Adagio cantabile, ma non tanto (Land of Desolation, Land of Mists)
III. Scherzo: Allegro scherzando, giocoso
IV. Finale: Andante lugubre - Allegro maestoso
I kicked things off in a huge way. Everyone knows Tchaikovsky- The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, 1812 Overture and so on. Like a lot of other artists you can find some pretty great stuff beyond his most popular work. I was fortunate enough to grab this recording out of the media section at the library. While studying I would grab a few CD's from various genres and burn them to my computer. Sometimes obscure artists or albums are obscure for a reason- they aren't very good. This how ever was a pretty good discovery.
Winter Daydreams was the first of six symphonies, composed in 1866. I noticed certain themes or components that were really identifiable as Tchaikovsky- something I didn't expect I'd be able to do. I don't know the first thing about music when it comes to technical aspects- and I'm far from a classical music connoisseur. I don't even know where to begin explaining it- but certain parts you could just tell. It was like the music was of the same genetics as other works by him- certain traits more prominent than others. You can hear parts of the symphony that are reminiscent of the 1812 Overture- only maybe not as mature or fully developed. This makes sense chronologically because the 1812 Overture wasn't composed until 1880- by which point he sort of figured out his style.
So I got ready to listen to it almost like I was at a concert hall. Closed my door, dimmed the lights, turned off my phone and turned up my speakers. The symphony was powerful. The music is enough to bring out a wide range of emotion. I felt my brain trying to come up with words that could accurately describe the music. Another thing I noticed was the range of volume for the recording. Certain parts are very quiet while others are overwhelmingly loud. This is no accident- it's there for emphasis! That's right- a certain level of intensity- an element that has for the most part been lost in modern music.
After listening to just the music- and not having it used as a background for something- it makes you think about movies. Most movies would be absolutely nothing without the music. I still think that it's amazing that humans using relatively simple instruments can generate such an effect- and that a composer can create them is an entirely different amazing feat.
One thing I caught myself doing was trying to figure out which movement I like the most. They are pretty distinct- but that's not the point. That would be like listening to a song and saying you like the middle section of the song the most. You can- and yes it might sound different from the rest- but it's intended to be listened to as a whole item. But really the second movement is the best I think.
I like to imagine ol' Pete- what he would say if he knew that people all over the world were still listening to his work. Same for all the classic composers- and what is the modern equivalent? What artists will have that kind of influence and longevity? It's difficult to imagine anything modern will be able to do that.
In conclusion- it's an excellent symphony and I'm glad I took the time to really listen to it. I've got the recording if anyone is interested in listening to it.
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