Symphony No. 5 (Tchaikovsky) - Structure

Structure

A typical performance of the Symphony lasts about 46 minutes. The Symphony is in four movements:

1. Andante — Allegro con anima (E minor)
2. Andante cantabile, con alcuna licenza — Moderato con anima — Andante mosso — Allegro non troppo — Tempo I (D major)
3. Valse: Allegro moderato (A major)
4. Finale: Andante maestoso — Allegro vivace — Molto vivace — Moderato assai e molto maestoso — Presto (E major → E minor → E major)

Like the Symphony No. 4, the Fifth is a cyclical symphony, with a recurring main theme. Unlike the Fourth, however, the theme is heard in all four movements, a feature Tchaikovsky had first used in the Manfred Symphony, which was completed less than two years before the Fifth. The theme has a funereal character in the first movement, but gradually transforms into a triumphant march, which dominates the final movement. Tchaikovsky was attracted to this particular theme because the topic of the Fifth Symphony is Providence, according to the composer's notebook page dated 15 April 1888, which was about one month before he began composition of the symphony. The composer stated, in describing the introduction, "a complete resignation before fate, which is the same as the inscrutable predestination of fate." The changing character of the motto over the course of the symphony seems to imply that Tchaikovsky is expressing optimism with regard to providence, an outlook that would not return in his Sixth Symphony.