- The second movement is
an andantino in the style

of a canzona.

A canzona is an instrumental
form of the Renaissance.

In the Renaissance, there
were two basic musical forms:

the Matraville, or sung form,
and a canzona, an instrumental

form, so he calls it a canzona.

Canzonas were never slow
movements; they were always moving,

never terribly fast, but at
a nice pace, and that's what

this is: not slow movement at all.

The first movement has a waltz
element, but it is kind of

a slow movement.

It is played by the oboe
and it's a melancholy tune.

("Symphony No.4" by
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky)

Interestingly, it just never
stops, so once he starts

with these eighth notes,
it just continues.

The melody is so beautiful
and the only accompaniment

to that are these little pizzicatos.

("Symphony No.4" by
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky)

After that, the cello section
repeats that same melody.

("Symphony No.4" by
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky)

Flutes come in with the counter melody.

("Symphony No.4" by
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky)

And then, the second themed
group begins and the strings.

("Symphony No.4" by
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky)

And again, what Tchaikovsky so
often does, he takes material

like that and he'll do
it in a different key.

("Symphony No.4" by
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky)

(light piano)

I mean, it can keep going, you
can go forever, and he builds

and it builds, then he brings
back the original theme played

by the bassoon and the viola section.

("Symphony No.4" by
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky)

And this is basically
what he does until he gets

to the third theme group.

Some people consider
it to be like a march.

("Symphony No.4" by
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky)

To me, it is more poignant.

A march would give you the
impression that it was somewhat

superficial, but it's as
poignant as ever, gorgeous.

He repeats it, he varies it,
he has a counter-theme to it,

and eventually he brings
back the original theme.

This time, I choose to bring
it back in a very quiet way,

almost without expression, and
highlights the little scales

(vocal percussion)

that the woodwinds have: the flute,

the clarinet, the bassoon.

("Symphony No.4" by
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky)

Eventually they use the
same second theme material,

("Symphony No.4" by
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky)

and then a transition, woodwind
strings, that brings us back

to the end, which this time
it has the wonderful melody

being played by the bassoon.

("Symphony No.4" by
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky)

And a little coda with
little chords throughout

the orchestra comes it to an absolutely

gorgeous, poignant end.

("Symphony No.4" by
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky)