This dream world provides the ultimate escape from the oppressive forces he faced during his waking life (loneliness, alienation, and a failing marriage). A battle ensues between a rising waltz and an apocalyptic force headed by the brass section. The two themes clash for dominance, but in the end, irrepressible fate wins out.

The second movement recalls Tchaikovsky’s bittersweet childhood memories, with the music venturing through times both joyful and sad. It opens with an oboe theme that progresses along a meandering path, never settling on any one particular feeling. Later, an enjoyable march is presented. A cello section follows in which longing and loneliness permeate, perhaps symbolic of the early death of his mother when the composer was only 14.

A more playful side emerges in the third movement, in which Tchaikovsky seemingly honors his Russian heritage, and three main ideas are developed and intertwined: A dancing, pizzicato section in the strings, a folksy tune in the oboe that suggests a drunken peasant, and a distant military parade characterize the third movement.

In the finale, by quoting a famous Russian folk song, he suggests that the key to happiness may be through others. The movement comes to a grand close where it seems as though the composer has found refuge and joy in the lives of others.

5 PRACTICE TIPS
1. Adjust the amount of pressure you apply with your index finger on your bowing hand to help control your dynamics.

2. Slow your bow speed at the end of the phrases in the second movement to provide a more concentrated and concise tone.

3. In the third movement, lose the bow! The strings play pizzicato throughout. Brace your thumb at the corner of your fingerboard to get plenty of “pluck.”

4. Listen closely to the call and response of short phrases between the string and woodwind parts in the fourth movement to help anticipate your entrances.

5. Stay in the lower half of the bow to achieve a better bounce to your spiccato stroke on the fast passages in the final movement.