Musical Topics and Expression. Visual & Performing Arts Essay

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December 20, 2019
Aural Analysis of Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 4 - III. Scherzo. Pizzicato ostinato – Allegro
Tchaikovsky’s symphony is perhaps one of the most famous pieces in the world. It is composed of four different sound movements, each of which are played by a variety of wind, string, and percussion instruments such as piccolos, cymbals, drums, clarinets, and violins, among others. Upon listening upon the whole piece, I realized that the some of the things that makes the piece very pleasing to the ears are its structure and tempo. Nonetheless, Tchaikovsky’s ability to integrate all the elements of music into something that complements one another is another thing that makes this symphony addictive.
Initially, the symphony starts with a series of irregular, short, and low pitched notes played by the violins, cellos, and double cellos. Even though it seems inaudible at first, the pitch of the initial piece varies greatly in a regular manner with different peaks and troughs that catches the listener’s attention. Overall, the initial section creates an interesting upbeat pattern with short notes and fast tempos.
As it progresses, the symphony starts increasing in pitch until the wind instruments kick in. The start of the succeeding section is signaled by one long and high (in pitch) note from a wind instrument. During this time, the pitch significantly increases thereby creating the feeling as if this part is similar yet different from the initial section. It is...