Symphony No.6 in E flat minor "Revolutionary" - Nikolai Myaskovsky
Channel: Sergio Cánovas
Date: 2018-03-03

London Philharmonic Choir & Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Jurowski.

I - Poco largamente, ma allegro - Allegro feroce - Più mosso - Molto espressivo, poco più sostenuto - Poco più incalzando - Molto desiderato - Meno mosso, tranquillo e caloroso - In tempo giusto (Allegro molto) - Pesante, feroce e marcatissimo - A tempo (Allegro) - Largamente e molto pesante - Allegro feroce - Teneramente - Poco più incalzando - Precipitato - Molto allegro - Andante moderato - Andante pesante, con gran espressione - Più lento: 0:00
II - Presto tenebroso - Andante moderato - Tempo I - Presto: 21:19
III - Andante apassionato - Molto più appassionato e rubato - Andante sostenuto con tenerezza e gran espressione - A tempo - Incalzando - Largamente e pesante - Andante sostenuto, teneramente ed espressivo - Sostenuto assai: 28:47
IV - Allegro molto vivace - Andante molto espressivo - A droppio più lento - Tempo I - Andante sostenuto - Allegro moderato e tenebroso - Tempo I - Meno allegro - Sostenuto - Andante molto espressivo - Molto calando: 44:31

Myaskovsky's Symphony No.6 was written between October 1921 and July 1923, it was later revised in 1947. It was premiered with great success on May 4 of 1924, performed at the Bolshoi Theatre under Nikolai Golovanov. Written for a large orchestra and an optional chorus, it is the most extensive and ambitious work of Myaskovsky in the genre. The work was partially inspired by and from the drama "Les Aubes" (1898) by Belgian symbolist Émile Verhaeren, depicting the fate and death of a revolutionary hero. 

When it was premiered, Soviet commentators tried to describe the work as an attempt to portray the development and early struggles of the Soviet state, but it is now known that its roots were more personal. The years prior to the piece had been tragic for Myaskovsky. His father, a tsarist general, was assassinated in 1919 on a train station by a bolshevik revolutionary. The ideals of the Russian eRvolution, which at the beginning Myaskovsky supported, were crushed by the brutality of the new regime and the bloody civil war. The loss of several friends due to the red terror and the hunger in Petrograd had embittered his taciturn nature and his introverted personality.

The first movement is structured in an extensive sonata form. It begins with a brief introduction of six dramatic chords, supposedly inspired during a mass rally in which Myaskovsky heard the Soviet Procurator Nikolai Krylenko conclude his speech with the call "Death, death to the enemies of the revolution!". The allegro begins with a turbulent and dramatic main theme. A solemn transition leads us to a lyrical and expressive second theme introduced by the horn and passed to several instruments, troubled by tragic touches. The expressionist development begins as the main theme reappears, it being intensely restless, dissonant and chromatic. The music rises in a series of painful climaxes, enhanced by the trumpets. The recapitulation of the themes begins as the introductory chords reappear. The movement ends with an extensive slow coda, full of sadness and despair as the themes are ruminated over somberly.

The second movement is a scherzo in ternary form, apparently inspired by the winter winds blowing outside the house where the composer's aunt lay dead. It begins with a shadowy motive on the bassoon that develops into a restless and dark theme, which is derived from the Dies Irae motive. The trio begins with a solo of the flute, presenting a lyrical theme of pastoral nature, followed by clarinet and oboe. Strings and celesta share a moment of great intimacy before the flute continues the solo. The orchestra begins to shake until the initial motif of the bassoon reappears, thus resuming the scherzo. A brief reference to the trio theme leads us to a rushed, portentous coda.

The third movement is structured as a rondo (A-B-C-B'-A'-Coda). It opens with a brief and obscure introduction, which also references the Dies Irae motive. The second theme from the first movement reappears here as the first theme, exposed beautifully but also with tension and darkness. A second lyrical theme of deeply Russian character is presented by the clarinet, growing from the depths into an expressive climax that leads us to the recapitulation of the trio from the previous movement. Then a more afflicted and dissonant third theme is presented, followed by a brief development. Follows a passionate recapitulation of the second theme, then the first by the clarinet and oboe. A glowing, uplifting coda ends the movement.

[Activate the subtitles to read the lyrics].

[Musical analysis continued in the comments section].

Picture: "Liberty Leading the People" (1830) by the French painter Eugène Delacroix.

Musical analysis partially written by myself. Sources: https://bit.ly/3KqvERr and https://bit.ly/3yaLxsC

To check the score: https://bit.ly/3Ssz8aZ