Composers Datebook for October 28, 2011

Prompt to hear today's music is just under the date header.         SPONSOR Produced in association with the American Composers Forum Friday, October 28 Play today's show | How to listen A "pathetic" symphony by Tchaikovsky In St. Petersburg on today's date* in 1893, Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky conducted the first performance of his latest Symphony, his Sixth. From the beginning, this symphony has been commonly known by its French subtitle, the "Pathétique," a designation suggested by the composer's brother, Modest. Now, in Russian,"pathétique" translates into something like "passionate" or "emotional," with overtones of "pathos" and "suffering," but in plain old English,"pathétique" translates as "pathetic," a word with a whole slew of negative connotations.** The French sounds much better, thank you. Tchaikovsky himself had originally intended to give his new work the generic title of "A Program Symphony" with, apparently, no intention of cluing anyone in on what that program might be. In any case, nine days after he conducted the premiere performance, Tchaikovsky was dead. Was his death the result of a fatal glass of unboiled water recklessly drunk during the height of a cholera epidemic? Or was it a deliberate suicide to avoid the scandal of a homosexual affair becoming public? Did his"Pathétique" Symphony encode the answer? Was it Tchaikovsky's musical "Last Will and Testament?" Speculation has raged around Tchaikovsky's last symphony ever since, surrounding this last work with what one critic as called "voluptuous gloom." Despite -- or perhaps because -- of its "voluptuous gloom," Tchaikovsky's "Pathétique" became one the most popular symphonies of all time. *Gregorian calendar date (Julian calendar equivalent is October 16) **According to Professor Peter Schickele, P.D.Q. Bach's "Unbegun" Symphony has earned the nickname "The Pathetic" from musicians who are forced to perform the work. In fact, quite a few of the themes from the "Unbegun" Symphony are lifted directly (and quite amusingly) from Tchaikovsky's "Path&eactute;tique." P.D.Q. Bach's "Unbegun" (or "Pathetic") Symphony can be heard on a Vanguard compact disc sets # 159/62 ("The Dreaded P.D.Q. Bach Collection") and #719/20 ("The Wurst of P.D.Q. Bach"). Music Played on Today's Program: Peter Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893): Symphony No. 6 (Path�tique) Russian National Orchestra; Mikhail Pletnev, cond. DG 449 967 Additional Information: More on Tchaikovsky's "Pathétique" About the Program Composers Datebook is a daily program about composers of the past and present, hosted by John Zech. Support Composers Datebook Purchase music from Composers Datebook from Amazon. Or shop Public Radio Market. Your purchases help support the American Composers Forum and public radio. Your support makes our online services possible. Contribute Now. Fostering artistic and professional development You received this free e-mail newsletter because you previously subscribed or because it was sent to you by a friend. This e-mail was sent to the following address: wtqd@verizon.net Unsubscribe | Contact Us � 2011 American Public Media 480 Cedar Street, Saint Paul, MN 55101 USA Privacy policy