Manfred – Symphony in four scenes after Byron Op.58 (1885)
Dedicated to Balakirev and premiered in Moscow by Max Erdmannsdörfer at a Russian Musical Society concert in memory of Nikolai Rubinstein, 11/23 March 1886, Manfred was Tchaikovsky’s programme epic. The spirit, if not always incident, of Byron’s Faustian poem of 1816–17 inspired it. Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique and Harold in Italy, Liszt’s Faust and Dante, cyclic motto and idée fixe, Influenced it. The notion of such a work, to the point of mapping out a dramatic, key and orchestration plan, was Balakirev’s; he got the idea from the critic Vladimir Stasov around 1867–68, fired by Berlioz’s second visit to Russia. Tchaikovsky wasn’t enthusiastic. ‘A design to imitate Berlioz […] at the moment it leaves me absolutely cold, and when imagination and the heart are unwarmed, it is hardly worth trying to compose. To please you I could, to use your expression, exert myself to screw out a whole series of more or less interesting episodes, including conventionally gloomy music to indicate Manfred’s hopeless disillusionment, lots of effective spangles of instrumentation for the “Alpine fairy” scherzo, high violins for sunrise, pianissimo trombones for Manfred’s death. I would be able to furnish these episodes with harmonic curiosities and piquances, and then send them out into the world under the high-flowing title Manfred: Symphonie d’aprés, etc. I might even receive praise for the fruits of my labours, but such writing doesn’t attract me in the least’ (12/24 November 1882). Once committed, he was in two minds about the result. ‘I may be wrong but it seems to me to be the best of my compositions’ (1885). ‘This production is abomidable. With the exception of the first movement, I deeply loathe it’ (1888).
Each movement is prefaced by a scenario.
I. B minor/D major ‘Manfred wanders in the Alps. Tormented by the fatal anguish of doubt, torn by remorse and despair, his soul is the prey of sufferings without name. Neither the occult sciences, whose mysteries he has fathomed, and by means of which the powers of darkness are subject to his will, nor anything in the world can bring to him the forgetfulness which alone he covets. The memory of the
beautiful Astarte [Milton’s ‘queen of heaven, with crescent horns’], who he has loved and lost, gnaws at his heart [second subject, change of tempo and metre]. Nothing can lift the curse which lies heavily on Manfred’s soul, and which unceasingly and without truce delivers him to the tortures of the most grievious
despair.’
II. B minor/D major ‘The Fairy [Byron’s Witch] of the Alps appears to Manfred under the rainbow of the mountain torrent’ (Act II/ii).
III. G major ‘Pastorale. The simple, free and peaceful life of the mountaineers.’
IV. B minor/Astarte’s phantom: D flat major/Requiem: C major–B major ‘The subterranean palace of Arimanes [the Zoroastrian demon-spirit ‘who walks the clouds and waters”, Act II/iv, enemy of light and good’]. Manfred appears in the midst of a bacchanale [not in Byron]. Invocation of the phantom of Astarte. She predicts the end of his earthly misery. Manfred’s death [‘Old man! ’tis not so difficult to die’].’ For the closing pathétique pages, Tchaikovsky specifies a harmonium (not organ).
Ates Orga, 2010
Romeo and Juliet – Fantasy Overture after Shakespeare
Mily Balakirev, besides being a remarkable composer in his own right, was one of the most important figures in Russian music in terms of his influence on his fellow composers. During the summer of 1869 Balakirev suggested to Tchaikovsky that he compose a concert piece on Romeo and Juliet and by November Tchaikovsky completed it. The piece was performed the following March under Nicholas Rubinstein’s direction and made a depressingly poor impression in Moscow. A revised version was presented in 1870 but fared no better abroad. Finally, in 1880, with the Fourth Symphony successfully making its way through the world Tchaikovsky returned to Romeo and Juliet and prepared the version we know today, which he designated not simply ‘Overture’, as he had the two earlier versions, but ‘Fantasy
Overture’. This time there was no question of the work’s success, and when Tchaikovsky undertook conducting tours in Europe and America he was virtually compelled to include Romeo and Juliet on every program.
01. Symphony in B minor after Lord Byron, ‘Manfred’, Op.58 – I. Lento lugubre
02. Symphony in B minor after Lord Byron, ‘Manfred’, Op.58 – II. Vivace con spirito
03. Symphony in B minor after Lord Byron, ‘Manfred’, Op.58 – III. Andante con moto
04. Symphony in B minor after Lord Byron, ‘Manfred’, Op.58 – IV. Allegro con fuoco
London Symphony Orchestra
Yuri Simonov
05. Fantasy Overture after W. Shakespeare, ‘Romeo & Juliet’
Kirov Theater Orchestra
Yuri Temirkanov – Conductor