Serenade for strings in C major, Op.48

Writing to Nadezhda von Meck shortly after he had completed his Serenade for strings, Tchaikovsky told her that the first movement was his “homage to Mozart” - which is a puzzling statement. He clearly cannot have been thinking of the double-stopped fortissimo sonorities in the Andante non troppo introduction, which was a new sound in 1880. Perhaps it was the classical sonata-form structure of the Allegro moderato he had in mind. Stylistically, there is little of Mozart in either the melodic line or the rhythmic syncopations of the first subject, while there is no more than a hint of rococo prettiness in the repeated notes of the second subject. The textural elaboration isn’t Mozartian either, least of all the hyper-active cello line associated at an early stage with the first subject.

The repeat of the Andante non troppo at the end of the first movement is a timely reminder of its salient melodic features, just before they are inverted to provide the delightful main theme of the Walzer in G major. The same scalic shape is presented at the beginning of the third movement, the Elégie, the main theme of which is the lovely cantabile melody played by first violins over an intricate pizzicato accompaniment. Passing to cellos, it inspires a passionate violin counterpoint and is then developed in dialogue between the two. It is recapitulated in its original form on violas and a violin recitative-cadenza acts as a transition to a muted recall of the scalic opening section and an extended, intermittently passionate coda.

Headed Tema Russo, the Finale actually includes two Russian tunes - the song featured in the G major Andante introduction and the vigorous dance presented as the main theme of the C major Allegro con spirito. The dramatic recall of the introduction to the first movement shortly before the end of the work, followed by a last appearance of the main theme of the Finale, reveals yet another thematic relationship and firmly sews up the construction as a whole.

Writing to Nadezhda von Meck shortly after he had completed his Serenade for strings, Tchaikovsky expressed his satisfaction with the scoring of the new work and at the same time declared that the first movement was his “homage to Mozart.” One need listen no further than the double-stopped fortissimo sonorities in the slow introduction - a new sound in 1880 and one which has reverberated through string-orchestra music ever since - to understand his pride in the scoring, although it was the two middle movements which pleased the composer most in this respect.

The declaration of a homage to Mozart, on the other hand, tells us more about Tchaikovsky’s perception of his favourite classical composer than about the first movement of the Serenade in C. If he had been thinking of the sonata-form structure of the Allegro moderato the comment would have been unremarkable - even though, because he prefers to develop his themes as they occur, Tchaikovsky’s middle section is short by classical standards. What he actually had in mind was Mozart’s style and, to present-day ears at least, there is little of that in either the melodic line or the rhythmic syncopations of the first subject, and there is no more than a hint of rococo prettiness in the repeated notes of the second subject. The textural elaboration isn’t Mozartian either, least of all the hyper-active cello line associated at an early stage with the first subject.

The repeat of the Andante non troppo at the end of the first movement is a timely reminder of its salient melodic features, just before they are inverted to provide the delightful main theme of the Waltzer in G major. The same scalic shape is presented - simultaneously in its ascending form (on violins and violas) and its descending form (on cellos and basses) - at the beginning of the third movement. The main theme of this Elégie is the lovely cantabile melody played by first violins over an intricate pizzicato accompaniment. Passing to cellos, it inspires a passionate violin counterpoint and is then developed in dialogue between the two. It is recapitulated in its original D major form on violas and a violin recitative-cadenza acts as a transition to a muted recall of the scalic opening section and extended, intermittently passionate coda.

Headed Tema Russo, the Finale actually includes two Russian tunes - the song featured in the G major Andante introduction and the vigorous dance presented as the main theme of the C major Allegro con spirito. The second subject, introduced in E flat major by violas, is a daring contrast which is skilfully reconciled in a brilliant contrapuntal treatment of the two themes in the development. The dramatic recall of the introduction to the first movement shortly before the end of the work, followed by a last appearance of the main theme of the Finale, reveals yet another thematic relationship and firmly sews up the construction as a whole.