Ravinia 2025 Issue 3

allegations of homosexuality—circulated even during the fatal illness. Russian records officially list the cause of death as “unclear.” When performed the second time in St. Peters- burg under Eduard Nápravnik on November 18, the audience heard the Symphony No. 6 in the context of the recent devastating events. They realized too late its underlying value, conveyed so deeply in rich, penetrating orchestral sonori- ties. All felt the momentous loss of a great Rus- sian artist, and this pathos-laden work reverber- ated as his own eulogy. Tchaikovsky had been consumed with his sixth numbered symphony. Initial efforts floundered in late 1892, and he discarded one complete symphony in E-flat major. However, the im- pulse for orchestral expression drove him to begin afresh. Tchaikovsky wrote to his nephew Vladimir (“Bob”) Davidov—to whom he dedi- cated the Symphony No. 6—on February 23, 1893: “You know that I destroyed the symphony I had composed and partly orchestrated in the autumn. And a good thing too! There was noth- ing of interest in it—an empty play of sounds, without inspiration. Now, on my journey, the idea of a new symphony came to me, this time one with a program, but a program that will be a riddle for everyone. Let them try and solve it. …The program of this symphony is completely saturated with myself, and quite often during my journey I cried profusely. … You cannot imagine my feelings of bliss now that I am con- vinced that the time has not gone forever, and that I can still work. Of course, I may be wrong, but I do not think so.” His progress report to Davidov outlined an amazing compositional pace. Tchaikovsky sketched the first movement in four days. Later, he added a tragic Adagio introduction, whose bassoon line meticulously anticipates fragments of the main theme. The complete melody soon appears in a faster tempo, but, despite this ac- celeration, the string ensemble struggles vainly to emerge from under the introduction’s dark Tchaikovsky (left) with his nephew, Vladimir (“Bob”) Davidov (June 1892) shadow. Tchaikovsky’s fabled lyricism blossoms in a passionate contrasting theme. Gradual- ly, the music fades away to sextuple piano . The development literally erupts without warning, but this, too, succumbs to the melancholy of the principal theme. Within this frenzied mu- sic—though inescapable to a Russian audi- ence—echo tones of an Orthodox funeral chant. Tchaikovsky recalls his two main themes, and then an ardent hymn melody provides a solemn conclusion. Commentators often describe the subsequent movement as a “limping waltz,” as if the mu- sic lacked dance-like grace. On the contrary, Tchaikovsky forged an utterly refined idiom in an irregular five-beat rhythm. Deluged with ideas in quintuple time, the composer main- tained this unusual rhythm in the trio. Between March 13 and 15, the Allegro molto vivace move- ment was drafted in its entirety. This rousing march, a direct descendent of Tchaikovsky’s ballet scores, projects such thrilling vitality that audiences often misinterpret its climactic end- ing as the conclusion of the symphony. But the composer has more to express, and does so in a profoundly tormented finale that withers away in a tragic wisp of sound. Tchaikovsky completed his sketches on April 5, a blessed event celebrated with words of grati- tude on the manuscript: “O Lord, I thank thee!” The orchestration was placed on hold while the composer traveled to London (during late May and early June) to receive his honorary doctor- ate from Cambridge University, alongside Ca- mille Saint-Saëns, Arrigo Boito, and Max Bruch. Back in Russia, Tchaikovsky began orchestrating his sketches on August 1, slowly at first: “Twenty years ago I’d have gone full steam ahead. …Now I’ve become timid, unsure of myself.” However, on August 31, work on the Sixth drew to a close. An early draft of the symphony appeared among the composer’s papers after his death. Written on the manuscript was the “hidden program” for this valedictory work: “The ultimate essence of the plan of the symphony is LIFE. First part—all impulsive passion, confidence, thirst for activity. Must be short. (Finale DEATH—result of col- lapse.) Second part love; third disappointments; fourth ends dying away (also short).” So it was with the symphony. So it was with Tchaikovsky. –Program notes © 2025 Todd E. Sullivan MARIN ALSOP, Ravinia Chief Conductor For Marin Alsop’s biography, see page 69. JEAN-YVES THIBAUDET Born in Lyon, France, Jean-Yves Thibaudet gave his first public performance just two years after beginning piano studies at age 5. At age 12 he entered the Paris Conservatory, studying with Aldo Ciccolini and Lucette Descaves, a friend and collaborator to Ravel. Thibaudet would win the conservatory’s top performing prize and later earned several top competition honors, including the Young Concert Artists Auditions in New York at age 18. In 2001 he was made a Knight of France’s Order of Arts and Letters— and advanced to the title of Officer in 2012—and France’s Ministry of Culture awarded Thibaudet a lifetime achievement award in 2007. Most re- cently he was named a special representative for the promotion of French creative and cultural industries. Now based in Los Angeles, he was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame in 2010, and in 2018 he became the first resident artist at the Colburn School, where he collabo- rates with the music academy on awarding merit scholarships. Over the past year, Thibaudet has returned to several signature works in his rep- ertory with ensembles around the globe—Ger- shwin’s Piano Concerto in F with the Colorado and Dallas Symphonies, Toulouse National Or- chestra, and Los Angeles Philharmonic; Saint- Saëns’s Piano Concerto No. 5 with the Taiwan National Symphony, NDR Elbphilharmonie, Ra- dio France Philharmonic, Macao Orchestra, and Pacific, Kansas City, and San Diego Symphonies; and Khachaturian’s Piano Concerto with the National Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concert- gebouw Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philhar- monic, and Tonhalle Orchestra. Thibaudet has appeared on more than 50 recordings, and his personal discography has earned the German Record Critics’ Prize, France’s Diapason d’Or and Choc du Monde de la Musique, a Gramophone Award, and the Edison Prize, as well as two Grammy nominations. Recording exclusively for Decca, he most recently released Gershwin Rhap- sody with Michael Feinstein, including four new- ly discovered Gershwin works, and Night After Night , featuring James Newton Howard scores for M. Night Shyamalan films. Tonight Jean-Yves Thibaudet makes his eighth appearance at Ra- vinia, where he first performed in 1991. RAVINIA.ORG  • RAVINIAMAGAZINE 67 ANDREWECCLES