Program
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Symphony No.6 ("Pathétique") in B minor op. 74
Saint Petersburg, October 28, 1893: Nine days before his death, Peter Tchaikovsky conducts the premiere of his Sixth Symphony. He describes it as a "program symphony" - with a secret program, i.e. top secret: "It is of such a nature that it will remain a mystery to everyone! The work progressed so passionately, so quickly, that I had the first movement completely finished in less than four days and the other movements were already clear in my head!" As if he had suspected that he wouldn't have much time left to compose. This symphony, nicknamed "Pathétique", is a truly dramatic, tragic, gripping, very pathetic masterpiece - strange and unique.
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Symphony No.6 ("Pathétique") in B minor op. 74