Tchaikowsky Symphony 4 and Sacred Music

By Judith Eckelmeyer

(GRACE WOODS MUSIC SESSION NOVEMBER 17, 2025)

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Tchaikovsky, c. 1888

Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky (1840-November 1893) born in Vyatka province, Russia, strayed from his homeland several times. His ties to Russia pervaded his music. Even though he was not accepted as on the “Russian Five” nationalists, his life was focused on his native heritage. In the case of his visit to Italy in 1877, his journey with his brother Anatoly was a necessary reprieve after a disastrous set of circumstances: already having recognized his homosexuality he had been essentially prodded by a barrage of letters into marriage with Antonina Milyukova who had been a fellow student at the conservatory with him. The marriage occurred in 1877, but Tchaikovsky escaped from his wife under a pretext until he had to return to her in Moscow to meet his teaching obligations at the Moscow Conservatory. His presence in Moscow and the stress of his unfulfilled marriage drove him to attempt suicide—which also failed. Anatoly whisked him away to Western Europe where they visited Switzerland, France and then Italy.

Antonina Miliukova with Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky during their honeymoon in 1877

In one of music history’s great turns of fate, in 1877 Tchaikowsky became acquainted by letter with a very wealthy widow and patron of the arts, Nadezhda von Meck (1831-January 1894), who was exceedingly taken with Tchaikowsky’s music. The two entered into a remarkably intimate correspondence that lasted 13 years, nearly until their deaths, only a few months apart. Their epistolary relationship was predicated on their never meeting each other, yet for 13 years Mme von Meck served as a confidant, an unfailing financial resource, a sounding-board for his woes, and a fervent supporter of his career. I suspect she was of great importance in Tchaikowsky’s ability to rebound from this devastating time in his life.

Nadezhda von Meck

Tchaikowsky really never stopped composing in the aftermath of these traumatic events. Of major significance was his fourth symphony in F minor of 1777-8, which he described to Mme von Meck as a kind of programmatic reflection on his recent struggles; he dedicated it to her, “My Best Friend”. In his description, he referred to the opening fanfare as “the kernel, the quintessence, the chief thought of the whole symphony” which stands for Fate, the preventer of happiness (Wikipedia, Tchaikowsky Symphony 4). Further characterizing the progress of the symphony:

Movement 1.  A very long movement generally suggesting turmoil and struggle, interrupted by the “fate” motif.

Movement 2. Melancholy; involving an oboe solo with the orchestra, and no percussion except for  timpani.

Movement 3. A turn to the major mode in a scherzo playfully represented by pizzicato strings throughout the movement. The only percussion is the timpani.
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Movement 4. Very energetic, including extended percussion (cymbals especially), a Russian folk song, a “remembrance” of the fate motif of the first movement which is, however, overcome by clearly triumphant music.

PYOTR TCHAIKOVSKY  SYMPHONY No.4, f moll, Op.36
00:37 I. Andante sostenuto - Moderato con anima 19:33 II. Andantino in modo di Canzona 30:15 III. Scherzo. Pizzicato ostinato. Allegro 35:28 IV. Finale. Allegro con fuoco.
​NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC LEONARD BERNSTEIN, conductor

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Sometimes “questions from the audience” are more important than the questioner realizes. Such is the case of Vicki’s question at the last session: “Did Tchaikowsky write any sacred music?”
After I fumbled around to bring up a puny response, I went back to the drawing board to do some research. I found the answer: YES! Big Time!

It turns out that Tchaikowsky was very interested in the music and liturgy of the Russia Orthodox Church. This is evident beginning in 1875 when he created A Concise Textbook of Harmony Intended to Facilitate the Reading of Sacred Musical Works in Russia. Two years later he wrote to Mme von Meck:

“For me [the church] still possesses much poetical charm. I very often attend the services. I consider the liturgy of St. John Chrysostom one of the greatest productions of art….[I]t is impossible not to be profoundly moved by the liturgy of our own Orthodox Church…to be startled from one’s trance by a burst from the choir; to be carried away by the poetry of this music; to be thrilled when…the words ring out, ‘Praise the name of the Lord!’—all this is infinitely precious to me! (Wickipedia: Ligurgy of St. John Chrysostom)

A year later he wrote to Mme von Meck:

“A vast and untrodden field of activity lies open to composers here. I appreciate certain merits in Bortniansky, Berezovsky and others; but how little their music is in keeping with…the whole spirit of Orthodox liturgy!...It is not improbable that I shall decide to set the entire liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.” (Ibid.)

His setting of that liturgy took play in late spring-summer of 1878. (Note the synchronicity with the rebound from the time of his personal struggle.) Four years later, he completed the setting of the All-Night Vigil (Vespers), and in 1884-1885 he wrote Nine Church Pieces, texts that he drew from Russian liturgical texts and Psalms.

Tchaikovsky: The All-Night Vigil (Vesper Service)
Performed by the Leningrad Glinka Choir conducted by Vladislav Chernushenko.
​No. 1-4. Introductory Psalm: Bless My Soul, O Lord - Kathisma: Blessed is the Man Lord, I Call to Thee 0:00 No. 5. Gladsome Light 8:25 No. 6-7. Rejoice, O Virgin - The Lord is God 11:30 No. 8. Polyeleion: Praise the Name of the Lord 13:40 No. 9. Troparia: Blessed Art Thou, Lord 17:40 No. 10. Gradual Antiphon: From My Youth 22:15 No. 11. Hymns after the Gospel Reading: Having Beheld the Resurrection of Christ 24:20 No. 12. Common Katabasis: I Shall Open My Lips 27:30 No. 13. Canticle of the Mother of God 33:55 No. 14-15. Holy is the Lord Our God - Theotokion: Both Now and Forever 40:00 No. 16-17. Great Doxology: Glory to God in the Highest - To Thee the Glorious Leader 41:50 

Two major points of great importance derive from these sacred works: 

1. Tchaikowsky led the way for numerous later composers to address sacred literature of the Russian Orthodox Church with new musical settings.
2. In paying attention to the liturgy of the Russian Orthodox Church, Tchaikowsky was confirming a nationalistic direction that is generally less prominent in historians’ understanding of this composer, especially as he is in the shadow of the avowedly nationalistic group called the “mighty handful” or the “Russian five” (Balakirev, Borodin, Cui, Mussorgsky and Rimsky-Korsakov). Indeed, far more attention should be devoted to this body of Tchaikowsky’s output! 

THANK YOU, VICKI! It’s always good to learn something new.

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Judith Eckelmeyer ©2025