It may be of interest to our readers to get an interpretation of
Tchaikovsky's methods of composition as per David Brown's four volume
study of the composer. In volume four (1992) he goes on to enunciate with
some thoroughness the contrast between Russian and German composition
techniques. He states that Glinka's Karaminskaya based on Russian
folk idiom "does not evolve to make an all embracing point, complete only
when the final note is reached, as in the finest western symphonic works;
rather it says the same thing over and over again with ever new
significances, consolidating rather than expanding the experience. Put
simply, it is a decorative, not an organic creation—static rather than
dynamic. and having said that, we have put our finger on the very essence
of Russian creativity"....and he goes on, "it follows that a musical
invention which is by its very nature static and reflective is totally
unsuitable for building large scale evolving structures such as are the
natural products of the best western organic thought...endowed with a mind
of this nature he (Tchaikovsky) was inclined, like his fellow Russian
novelists to think most readily in terms of self contained sections. The
genius of most nineteenth century Russian composers was above all for
melody, and especially for the sort that is designed as a broad, multi
phrased structure.....but such melodies however extended they might be,
had structures even more enclosed...simply arrived at an end, thus
requiring the composer to climb, as it were, a perimeter fence if he
wished to move on, perhaps to explore a new melodic field ...this problem
of transition was the one of the most vexed the Russian composer faced,
greater in many ways than that of development. In the latter he could at
least fall back on his flair for ingenuous manipulation within a
system.....in the development of Russian symphonic works there is rarely
lack of ingenuity in manipulating musical materials, but so often its
seems a game played according to a well learned method, not the
thoughtful, stage by stage uncovering of further positions in a unique and
lively musical argument moving logically towards its conclusion...this can
rarely produce totally satisfying results"....but he goes on to say.."for
TchaIkovsky himself the symphony was "the most lyrical of forms"..but shot
through with drama; its momentuum stemmed not so much from continuity of
thought as from striking justapostions, and its effect upon the listener
came less from a rich and well ordered argument than from taking him to a
radically new kind of experiance"...(pages 423 to 426 from volume
four)...that would have been TchaIkovsky at his best...in the end is it a
satisfying esthetic experiance or not is the issue?...
And having said that one may still not approve of his method or his
substance...that is a matter of taste....what is that forms our
taste?....our individuality...our limitations...our exposure or not to a
diversity of musical experiences...our passion to inquire...our exposure
to the myriad works of the many outstanding composers over the
centuries..our openness to new experiences....some composers are easy as
per example Tchaikovsky, some require more thought and time to penetrate
their mysteries...
One may enlarge ones views by reading music history or by the study of
harmony, counterpoint etc, or by simply listening....one doesn't have to
read about how great such luminaries like Dante, Shakespeare,
Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Turner, Dostoevsky or Tolstoy are....just by
being exposed to their works one is overpowered by the impact of their
great talent...likewise one may listen to the whole plethora of music from
Gregorian Chant to say John Adams and get a pretty good idea of what makes
a great work of music tic...not all of us on the other hand can grasp the
more demanding creations be they in books or the arts or music...some are
satisfied with less and dont feel the need to make so many strenuous
inquiries...and so we should agree to disagree....we come from many
different backgrounds and traditions which colors our views..de
gustibus non disputandam....so let it be...Many thanks
Albert Gasparo