Tchaikovsky Symphonies Nos. 3 and 4

conducted by Andris Nelsons Tchaikovsky’s first three symphonies were influenced by regional Slavic musical traditions, whether or not he used specific melodies from those traditions. In the case of the Third Symphony, the nickname Polish was only applied after Tchaikovsky’s death when a conductor noted Polish dance rhythms in the finale. The five-movement form is unusual for a symphony. The tragic Symphony No. 4 is innovative in its use of a recurring motif, a “fate” fanfare that recurs throughout the symphony representing a fate that “prevents the impulse to happiness from attaining its goal.” The final directly quotes a lively Russian folk song.