Fate Symphony

E804564

Fate Symphony is the popular nickname for Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36, renowned for its dramatic intensity and recurring “fate” motif.

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Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf symphony
alsoKnownAs Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36 NERFINISHED
belongsToRepertoire standard Romantic symphonic repertoire
catalogueStatus one of Tchaikovsky’s most frequently performed symphonies
composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky NERFINISHED
compositionEndYear 1878
compositionStartYear 1877
countryOfOrigin Russia
dedicatedTo Nadezhda von Meck NERFINISHED
firstPublisher P. Jurgenson NERFINISHED
genre symphony
hasInfluenceOn later interpretations of the ‘fate’ idea in symphonic music
hasInstrumentationFeature extensive use of pizzicato strings in the third movement
prominent brass writing
hasMelodicFeature lyrical second movement canzona-like theme
hasMovement Andante sostenuto – Moderato con anima (F minor)
Andantino in modo di canzona (B♭ minor) NERFINISHED
Finale: Allegro con fuoco (F major)
Scherzo: Pizzicato ostinato – Allegro (F major) NERFINISHED
hasProgrammaticElement composer’s own description of the opening as the force of fate
hasRhythmicFeature driving, march-like rhythms in the finale
hasTheme conflict between despair and joy
struggle with fate
historicalContext composed during Tchaikovsky’s troubled marriage and emotional crisis
influencedBy Tchaikovsky’s personal emotional turmoil in the late 1870s
inKeyFamily F minor–F major tonal trajectory
key F minor
languageOfTitle Russian
movementCount 4
nickname Fate Symphony NERFINISHED
notableFeature cyclical use of themes
dramatic intensity
recurring fate motif
numberInSeries 4
openingMotif brass fanfare representing fate
opusNumber Op. 36
orchestration full symphony orchestra
period Romantic era
placeInComposerOutput first of Tchaikovsky’s three great mature symphonies (Nos. 4–6)
premiereConductor Nikolai Rubinstein NERFINISHED
premiereCountry Russian Empire NERFINISHED
premiereDate 1878-02-22
premiereLocation Moscow NERFINISHED
structure four-movement cyclic form
typicalDuration approximately 40–45 minutes
workNumberInKey Tchaikovsky’s first published symphony in F minor

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.