Tchaikovsky

Tchaikovsky, Symphony No.5

Académie internationale, Pontarlier, France: July 1991 (rehearsals).

Christ Church Festival Orchestra, Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, 21 February 2005.

St. Albans Symphony Orchestra, Harpenden Public Hall, 23 April 2005.

Sidcup Symphony Orchestra, Townley Hall, Kent, 11 November 2006.

Haslemere Symphony Orchestra, Haslemere Hall, 7 March 2008.

What the press says ...

‘The musicians from Sidcup Symphony Orchestra played their socks off (and I don’t use that word lightly). We were so impressed with the standard of play which equalled professional orchestras of a similar size.’ The Sidcup Chronicle, December 2006.

‘The concert concluded with a thoroughly rousing performance of Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony. This was SASO playing at its very best. The Orchestra is now brimming with confidence and on Saturday it presented a fine evening of top-quality music.’ John Manning, The Herts Advertiser, 28 April 2005

‘Conductor James Ross once again inspired his Christ Church Festival Orchestra to that delightful, wholly expert level ... Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony recalled this orchestra’s Schubert Ninth Symphony last year. There were superb solos from woodwind and (particularly) first horn, and in the second and final movements Ross developed a rhythm reminiscent of the Statue come to dinner with Don Giovanni. A first-class performance.’ Hugh Vickers, The Oxford Times, 25 February 2005

‘Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.5 was performed with professional aplomb, well marshalled by conductor Dr James Ross. It was a sheer pleasure to listen to the crescendos within the four movements reverberating around the Cathedral, providing an effect perhaps akin to the process of reviving the heart via a series of electric shocks. ... The entire performance was very impressive and the evening was a thoroughly enjoyable one.’ Samir Mody, Daily Information, 24/25 February 2005

‘From [Tchaikovsky, Symphony No.5’s] angst-ridden opening, the orchestra was entirely convincing in fulfilling the very different challenges of this work and in rendering directly emotional nature. The strings provided a lovely warm sound throughout. They were particularly impressive performing the 'love' theme of the second movement. The brass provided a shattering entry in the return of the "fate" theme. ... This exciting evening of music-making by conductor James Ross and the Christ Church Festival Orchestra.’ Alexandra Coghlan, Cherwell, 25 February 2005

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The distinguished musicologist Hans Keller wrote that ‘The Fifth symphony, like the Sixth, is so popular that one feels slightly embarrassed to write about it; it is as if one were invited to write an essay recommending the ‘Blue Danube’ waltz.’ The Symphony is argued with immense power from the first opening motto, described by Tchaikovsky as ‘Complete resignation before fate … the inscrutable predestination of Providence’. Its melody, harmony and rhythm pervades all four movements with seemingly inevitable logic. The second movement contains an endless parade of memorable melodies, punctuated dramatically by the ‘Providence’ motto; the third movement, where the motto recurs sotto voce, shows Tchaikovsky as the greatest waltz composer outside Vienna. The finale opens again with the motto, and ends with the theme of the first movement’s ‘allegro con anima’ transformed from E minor to E major.

The Symphony was composed between June and August 1888 at Tchaikovsky’s country house (now a museum) at Frolovskoye, and first performed on 17 November in St. Petersburg, then again on 24 November. These initial performances were not a success. Tchaikovsky lost his confidence, calling the symphony ‘a failure’. Judgement was reversed when Tchaikovsky conducted the Symphony a year later with the Hamburg Philharmonic Society – a change of opinion that seems permanent.