Зимние грёзы (Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky- Symphony No.

1 in G minor)

By the time he composed this symphony, 26 year old young Tchaikovsky probably didn’t know he was
going to become one of the greatest composers.

Whatever it is this first symphony of Tchaikovsky is deeply Russian. We can feel Borodin (Александр
Порфирьевич Бородин) elements, some of the Mussorgsky (Модест Петрович Мусоргский) elements
in this symphony.

For instance, the beginning, the first few bars of the second movement in this very uncertain key. The
tonality, the chords that are moving in a very subtle way. [Very unpredictable] - Every change of chord is
a surprise.

Tchaikovsky had turned from a career in law to music, and graduated from a conservatory in St.
Petersburg. He took on his first symphony at the suggestion of pianist and conductor Nikolai Rubenstein,
who led the premiere in 1868. The work, is also very personal. There is a sort of, not sadness, but
tenderness, and very deep in feelings, with also very extroverted finale; also because he also wanted to
show a sort of good and happy part of his personality of course.

Tchaikovsky would go on to create a body of work that includes more than six symphonies, three ballets,
ten operas, along with concertos and other works for orchestra, chorus, chamber ensembles, and piano.

By March of 1866, the young professor (Tchaikovsky was already a professor of St. Petersburg
Conservatory) embarked on a major project: his First Symphony, a milestone for any composer. He had
composed about half-a-dozen shorter orchestral works thus far, only a couple of which had been
performed, but felt ready to attempt something more ambitious.

Tchaikovsky’s younger brother Моде́ст Ильи́ ч Чайко́ вский (who was a Russian dramatist, opera
librettist and translator); says that “No other work cost him such effort and suffering…Despite
painstaking and arduous work, its composition was fraught with difficulty”

Tchaikovsky became increasingly frustrated with his teaching responsibilities, which took time away
from his composing. Thus, during his summer vacation, he joined his family at a small dacha outside St.
Petersburg determined to make serious progress on his symphony. He worked late into the night,
consuming numerous cigarettes, until he suffered a breakdown from exhaustion. He never composed
after sundown again.

Before returning to Moscow, he showed his still unfinished score to some of his former professors at the
St. Petersburg Conservatory, hoping they would agree to have it performed once it was finished.
Unfortunately, they did not like his new work and offered many criticisms, most of which Tchaikovsky
felt were unjustified. He would spend over a year more slaving over the symphony that refused to
cooperate, and would make further revisions to it in 1874, some eight years after beginning it.
Nevertheless, Tchaikovsky had a special fondness for the work, regarding it as “a sin of my sweet youth.”
Its charming melodies and vivid orchestration give little hint of the trouble it cost the composer, and the
unmistakable Tchaikovsky sound is already in every measure.

Tchaikovsky gave the symphony the descriptive title “Winter Daydreams,” and gave atmospheric titles
to the first two movements as well. The first movement, Daydreams of a Winter Journey, begins with an
enchanting melody in the flute and bassoon:

The melody is developed and varied with new orchestral colors, leading to a fortissimo. A second,
contrasting melody in the clarinet follows, leading to brilliant, brassy fanfares. The ensuing development
becomes increasingly turbulent, until the music suddenly comes to a halt. The main melodies then
reappear, and the movement ends quietly with a final reminiscence of the opening theme.

The slow second movement, Land of Gloom, Land of Mist, is one of his most inspired. After an
introduction from muted strings, a dreamy melody appears in the oboe. A contrasting theme follows in
the violas and flutes. The two themes alternate as Tchaikovsky creates exquisite, snowy orchestral
effects around them. The main theme returns first in the cellos, then in the horns for a climactic
variation. The opening string introduction then returns as the movement fades away.

The third movement is a scherzo, a fast, dance-like movement that showcases Tchaikovsky’s ingenuity
as an orchestrator. The original, Italian meaning of the word scherzo is “joke,” and with a tempo
marking of Allegro scherzando giocoso, or “fast and jokingly playful,” Tchaikovsky seems to have taken
it literally, creating an unpredictable play of sonorities. The mischievous outer sections surround a more
lyrical center, the theme of which briefly reappears just before the movement ends with a final joke.

The last movement is based on a variant of the Russian folk song “Я ПОСЕЮ ЛИ, МЛАДА” which
Tchaikovsky could have heard sung in towns throughout Russia.

Я посею ли, млада-младенька,

Цветиков маленько,

Цветы станут цвести, расцветати,

Сердце надрывати.

Я на цветики взирала,

Сердцем обмирала,

Сердечушком обмирала,

Друга ожидала.
Как идет-то моя радость,

Он идет не скоро.

Вижу, вижу: моя радость

Не хочет любити.

Люби, люби, моя радость,

Кого ты захочешь!

Я простилась, друг, с тобою,

Ты простись со мною!