POSTED FEBRUARY 9, 2022
Romanticism was an artistic, musical, literary and intellectual movement that originated in late 18th century Europe. Characterized by its emphasis on emotion, individualism, and the glorification of the past and nature, it was a revolt against the Age of Enlightenment's emphasis on reason and the Industrial Revolution's emphasis on science. In part spurred by the ideals of the French Revolution, Romanticism also embraced the struggle for freedom and equality and the promotion of justice. (1, 2)
It was Ludwig van Beethoven's life and music that inspired the Romantic break with the Classical Music Era of Mozart and Hayden. Narrative, originality and emotion became all-important, and Beethoven's Symphony No.3 from 1803, Eroica, is considered the start of this period. Beethoven's music was revolutionary and demonstrated that the art form could be a vehicle for ideas and a means of self-expression as well as a source of beauty.
The so-called Age of Revolution ended in 1848. A series of republican revolts against European monarchies, beginning in Sicily and spreading to France, Germany, Italy, and the Austrian Empire, all ended in failure and repression and were followed by widespread disillusionment among liberals. (3) Combined with the rise of a propertied middle class, this disillusionment made the more radical artistic ideas of the early 19th century less appealing. As in the other arts of mid-nineteenth century Europe, there was a shift in composing serious music - albeit a subtler one. Music's Late Romantic Era, which began in the mid-nineteenth century, would last until the gathering of the clouds of the Great War in the twentieth century.
Although Beethoven's influence was still strong, some compositions hearkened back to the Classical Era, with its order and formality. One musical form that expressed this desire was the serenade. A serenade is a multi-movement musical composition often in someone's honor and performed at an outdoor event, for example, as a wedding. Serenades are typically calm, light music. In fact, the word Serenade is derived from sereno, Italian for calm. (4) Mozart was a master of the serenade. His famous Eine Kleine Nachtmusik is an example of the serenade. Although usually called "A Little Night Music" in English, the literal translation of Nachtmusik is serenade and designated a piece of music played outdoors at night.
In the 1880s and 90s, midway between the revolutions of 1848 and horrors of World War I, marvelously enjoyable serenades were written by great composers of the time. In this post, we look at Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings in C Major.
Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings in C Major
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893) wrote some of the most popular works in the classical musical repertoire. Renowned for his graceful melodies and rich orchestration, he was the first Russian composer to attain widespread international recognition. His compositions spanned the full range of classical musical forms from piano solos and fantasies to symphonies. His three ballets - The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and The Swan Lake - may be the most famous of all time. Eugene Onegin, his most-loved opera, is still performed regularly.
Staying out of the ideological fray between "The Five," who were establishing a Russian national music tradition, and the Russian conservatories that stressed the European tradition, Tchaikovsky blended elements of the Western European tradition with Russian national music and folk tunes in his work.
With its Classical elegance. Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings displays his veneration of Mozart and reminds us of his own genius for composing music for dance. The second movement waltz leads to the third movement's solemn elegy. In the fourth movement, Tchaikovsky moves us gently from the mood of the elegy to a Russian melody as he brings all of the work's stylistic elements together in a "consummate mix of energy, instrumental virtuosity, and formal restraint. No composition of Tchaikovsky is more gem-like in its stylistic perfection." (5)
Sources: (1) The Art Story (2) softschoools.com (3) Britannica (4) Classic Cat (5) Utah Symphony