Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Neeme Järvi.
I - Allegro molto (𝅗𝅥. = 54) - Animando - Tranquillo - Appassionato - Animando: 0:00
II - Adagio (𝅘𝅥 = 40) - Più mosso (𝅘𝅥 = 56) - Tempo I (𝅘𝅥 = 40) - Incalzando: 13:06
III - Scherzo. Vivace (𝅘𝅥 = 120) - Tempo I (𝅘𝅥 = 120) - Poco incalzando - Meno mosso: 25:55
IV - Finale. Allegro energico (𝅗𝅥 = 104) - Molto maestoso (𝅗𝅥 = 60) - Incalzando: 31:45
Taneyev's Symphony No.4 was composed between 1896-8, written during a productive period in which the composer was at the height of his creative powers. It was premiered in St. Petersburg on April 2 of 1898, conducted by the score's dedicatee Alexander Glazunov. The piece was received with great acclaim, and in the following years it was performed in Moscow and again in St. Petersburg, attracting great attention both among audiences and the musical intelligentsia. It was the only one of his four symphonies to be published in his lifetime, retaining its popularity in the years that followed and being recorded multiple times.
By the time he completed the symphony, Taneyev had earned the nickname of "Russian Brahms", which he vehemently rejected, but, as this work suggests, the comparison was certainly not without foundation. The music of both composers, renowned masters of counterpoint who produced four symphonies each, bears striking similarities in its melodic and harmonic structures, form, and even origins. Since its premiere, Taneyev's fourth has ranked alongside the symphonies of Tchaikovsky, Scriabin, Balakirev, and Glazunov, among the late-romantic masterpieces of Russian music. Countess Sophya Tolstaya wrote in her diary: "Sergey Ivanovich played for me his wonderful symphony and it affected me very much: it is a beautiful work, with noble, elevated style". Rimsky-Korsakov also wrote to Taneyev: "I think that your symphony is the best contemporary work: it is noble in style, excellent in form and marvellous in the development of all its musical ideas".
The first movement is structured in sonata form. It begins with a three-note motive on full orchestra based on the tritone, Taneyev’s trademark interval in all his mature works. Like the opening "Fate motif" in Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, Taneyev’s tritone figure reappears throughout the entire symphony, thus making it a cyclical work. This motive becomes the basis of a stormy and expressive main theme in C minor, shared between strings and woodwinds. It unfolds with a muscular and dire relentlessness. After an imperious climax is reached, a transition leads to the lyrical and cantabile second theme in A-flat major, vaguely resembling a waltz and presented by cellos, then taken by clarinets.
A dramatic transition then kickstarts a repeat of the exposition, an archaic element found more on classical and early romantic symphonies. The development section is dominated by the motive, kicking a dissonant and dramatic struggle, enhanced by an intricate contrapuntal transformation of the material. The music reaches a highly passionate climax with the second theme, linking with the recapitulation of both themes. The coda is substantial and contrapuntal in nature, almost like a second development that ends the allegro hammering down fatalistic C minor chords on full orchestra.
The second movement is structured in ternary form. It opens with a deeply lyrical and melancholic main theme in A-flat major, presented by strings and derived from the opening motive. The clarinet takes it a dreamy, cantabile way before the material unfolds in a yearning and expressive tone. The central section features a rhythmic and tortuous second theme in D minor, derived from the three-note motive as well. The music then quickly offers contrast with a dance-like idea in F major on woodwinds, which grows on strings into a vitalistic and expansive third theme. A solemn and expressive climax is reached as the main and third themes are contrapuntally combined. The main theme is then recapitulated in the home key of A-flat major, the adagio ending with a gentle and peaceful coda.
The third movement is a scherzo in ternary form. It begins with a cheerful and rhythmic main theme in F major, derived from the opening motive once again and introduced by woodwinds over string accompaniment. It unfolds in a vigorous and imperious manner, as common as it is in the tradition of Russian scherzi. The trio section offers a lyrical and voluptuous second theme on strings, offering contrast. The scherzo material is then recapitulated with even more energy and force, before the movement ends with a playful gesture.
[Musical analysis continued in the comments section]
Picture: "To the War" (1888) by Russian painter Konstantin Savitsky.
Musical analysis partially written by myself. Sources: tinyurl.com/2yuzv9n3, tinyurl.com/258onvyn, tinyurl.com/28j6scph and tinyurl.com/24cocjeu
To check the score: tinyurl.com/yov7sdrz
Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Neeme Järvi.
I - Allegro molto (𝅗𝅥. = 54) - Animando - Tranquillo - Appassionato - Animando: 0:00
II - Adagio (𝅘𝅥 = 40) - Più mosso (𝅘𝅥 = 56) - Tempo I (𝅘𝅥 = 40) - Incalzando: 13:06
III - Scherzo. Vivace (𝅘𝅥 = 120) - Tempo I (𝅘𝅥 = 120) - Poco incalzando - Meno mosso: 25:55
IV - Finale. Allegro energico (𝅗𝅥 = 104) - Molto maestoso (𝅗𝅥 = 60) - Incalzando: 31:45
Taneyev's Symphony No.4 was composed between 1896-8, written during a productive period in which the composer was at the height of his creative powers. It was premiered in St. Petersburg on April 2 of 1898, conducted by the score's dedicatee Alexander Glazunov. The piece was received with great acclaim, and in the following years it was performed in Moscow and again in St. Petersburg, attracting great attention both among audiences and the musical intelligentsia. It was the only one of his four symphonies to be published in his lifetime, retaining its popularity in the years that followed and being recorded multiple times.
By the time he completed the symphony, Taneyev had earned the nickname of "Russian Brahms", which he vehemently rejected, but, as this work suggests, the comparison was certainly not without foundation. The music of both composers, renowned masters of counterpoint who produced four symphonies each, bears striking similarities in its melodic and harmonic structures, form, and even origins. Since its premiere, Taneyev's fourth has ranked alongside the symphonies of Tchaikovsky, Scriabin, Balakirev, and Glazunov, among the late-romantic masterpieces of Russian music. Countess Sophya Tolstaya wrote in her diary: "Sergey Ivanovich played for me his wonderful symphony and it affected me very much: it is a beautiful work, with noble, elevated style". Rimsky-Korsakov also wrote to Taneyev: "I think that your symphony is the best contemporary work: it is noble in style, excellent in form and marvellous in the development of all its musical ideas".
The first movement is structured in sonata form. It begins with a three-note motive on full orchestra based on the tritone, Taneyev’s trademark interval in all his mature works. Like the opening "Fate motif" in Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, Taneyev’s tritone figure reappears throughout the entire symphony, thus making it a cyclical work. This motive becomes the basis of a stormy and expressive main theme in C minor, shared between strings and woodwinds. It unfolds with a muscular and dire relentlessness. After an imperious climax is reached, a transition leads to the lyrical and cantabile second theme in A-flat major, vaguely resembling a waltz and presented by cellos, then taken by clarinets.
A dramatic transition then kickstarts a repeat of the exposition, an archaic element found more on classical and early romantic symphonies. The development section is dominated by the motive, kicking a dissonant and dramatic struggle, enhanced by an intricate contrapuntal transformation of the material. The music reaches a highly passionate climax with the second theme, linking with the recapitulation of both themes. The coda is substantial and contrapuntal in nature, almost like a second development that ends the allegro hammering down fatalistic C minor chords on full orchestra.
The second movement is structured in ternary form. It opens with a deeply lyrical and melancholic main theme in A-flat major, presented by strings and derived from the opening motive. The clarinet takes it a dreamy, cantabile way before the material unfolds in a yearning and expressive tone. The central section features a rhythmic and tortuous second theme in D minor, derived from the three-note motive as well. The music then quickly offers contrast with a dance-like idea in F major on woodwinds, which grows on strings into a vitalistic and expansive third theme. A solemn and expressive climax is reached as the main and third themes are contrapuntally combined. The main theme is then recapitulated in the home key of A-flat major, the adagio ending with a gentle and peaceful coda.
The third movement is a scherzo in ternary form. It begins with a cheerful and rhythmic main theme in F major, derived from the opening motive once again and introduced by woodwinds over string accompaniment. It unfolds in a vigorous and imperious manner, as common as it is in the tradition of Russian scherzi. The trio section offers a lyrical and voluptuous second theme on strings, offering contrast. The scherzo material is then recapitulated with even more energy and force, before the movement ends with a playful gesture.
[Musical analysis continued in the comments section]
Picture: "To the War" (1888) by Russian painter Konstantin Savitsky.
Musical analysis partially written by myself. Sources: tinyurl.com/2yuzv9n3, tinyurl.com/258onvyn, tinyurl.com/28j6scph and tinyurl.com/24cocjeu
To check the score: tinyurl.com/yov7sdrz
