Page 115 - AC-2-1

Arts & Communication Artists recreating our world

of him) but about his musicianship. He feels nothing for a heavy texture. The tempo marking is slow, Grave, with
when he conducts. It is as if he understands nothing.” the instruction to play an extremely loud fff.
(p. 23) 28 This is not a subtle suggestion of ideas but rather a
Certainly, Rachmaninoff had approached Glazunov in bold statement of intent. Conductors would instruct the
good faith, expecting that the conductor would give his musicians to play molto vibrato to cover for the intonation
best in preparing the orchestra for the first performance. difficulties of unison playing and to produce a rich romantic
What, then, would account for Glazunov’s apparent sound. An orchestra not on its metal could easily produce
dismissal of the symphony? Was it professional jealousy? an irritating scratchy sound, making Rachmaninoff seem
Or was Glazunov trying to communicate something more like a rabble-rouser than an artiste.
to Rachmaninoff, although in a very clumsy and The figure that opens the symphony is retained by
inappropriate manner? Here is evidence that it can all go Rachmaninoff through all four movements. While changes
horribly wrong when mentors are too “frank and willing to in orchestral timbre and dynamics allow it to be refreshed,
challenge,” (p. 95) and unable to couch their criticisms in there is little development of this central idea. Whereas
32
a constructive manner. Beethoven would take a small figure, like the “Fate Motif”
Perhaps Galzunov understood only too well of the 5 Symphony, and work it thoroughly from its
th
33
Rachmaninoff’s compositional intentions and considered initial statement, Rachmaninoff seemed unable to give any
it an impoverished work from the outset. Although this further life to this opening statement.
is mere speculation, there are clues within the music Rachmaninoff became overcommitted to a single idea,
itself that could explain Galzunov’s lack of enthusiasm for something that artists (and business leaders) need to be
the symphony. There is evidence within the symphony wary of. While a new concept might emerge that might be
that Rachmaninoff was prepared to take risks with his innovative and intriguing, if that idea does not develop and
orchestration and tonalities, but perhaps they were ill- morph over time, its inherent potential can be thwarted.
considered. Over-commitment can blind us to alternative conceptions.
5. Risk-taking and its limits The coda of the last movement finishes the symphony
as it began, with the entire orchestra in full voice playing
The first symphony came on the back of a fertile period fff. Rachmaninoff demonstrates his facility with the
for Rachmaninoff. In 1892, he received the highest
accolade for composition in his final year at the Moscow Western harmonic tradition and two great forces within
Conservatoire, the much-coveted Great Gold Medal for his the orchestra working against each other in contrary
one-act opera Aleko. He, then, went on and wrote a fantasy motion with a rising bass and descending upper line.
for two pianos, an orchestral fantasy, The Rock, inspired by In Western music, parallel lines are considered “weak,”
Chekhov’s short story Na puti (On the Way), and several whereas contrary motion is a concept drilled into
other works. His fecundity was even noted by Tchaikovsky, composition students from the outset of their studies due
who said: to the perceived strength of these opposing forces.
Like at the opening of the symphony, there is nothing
“‘Well, Sergei, what do I hear? You have already subtle here. The crossing lines conclude with a loud
started to write ‘masterpieces’! Congratulations, clash of the gong, reminiscent of Tchaikovsky’s second
congratulations.’ [Then], he wrung his hands in mock symphony (The Little Russian [1872]). Tchaikovsky, in his
despair and exclaimed: ‘And I, miserable wretch, have second symphony, toward the end of the final movement,
only written one Symphony!’ He was referring to the increases the dramatic intensity, bringing the work to a
‘Pathetique’ his last composition.” (p. 20) 31 complete halt with loud-sounding chords in the brass
However, Rachmaninoff had yet to write something on and woodwind, culminating with one strike of the gong
the scale of a symphony. Thus, when he embarked on his followed by a pause (measures 647 – 651). This draws the
first foray into this grand world, it was a bold step in his listeners’ attention to the richness of the gong’s tonalities,
career at such an early age. and Tchaikovsky gives time for its impact to be heard. It is

The symphony is set in D Minor and begins with a a subtle statement, and by pausing, Tchaikovsky allows the
dramatic declamation. It opens with a three-note flourish in gong to enhance the richness of the texture. The work then
the woodwind section, then a unison note, D, played by the picks up again at full speed, concluding with a coda.
woodwinds and brass, followed by a descending melody, Where Tchaikovsky uses the gong as a condiment,
again in unison, played by the strings with the instruction adding a little seasoning, Rachmaninoff over-spices the
that they play all the notes with down bows, thus making dish. Where our appetite may have been satiated with one

Volume 2 Issue 1 (2024) 7 https://doi.org/10.36922/ac.2126