In declining physical and mental health, Tchaikovsky struggled with profound inner turmoil while composing his intensely introspective and emotionally charged Sixth Symphony. Using music as an outlet for his anguish, longing, and profound despair, he poured his soul into a work that is as far-reaching as it is personal. His death just nine days after its premiere only added weight to this defining work of the Romantic period. One of the many legends that surround the work is that Tchaikovsky’s brother Modest came up with the name "Pathétique" which in his native Russian suggests “impassioned suffering.” Whether or not the composer acquiesced to this christening before his sudden death, it is uncannily suitable for the devastating psychological drama the symphony lays bare. In the hands of Jaime Martín, time-worn scores like Tchaikovsky’s quickly turn into fresh, spellbinding moments, an ability which has quickly cemented him as a favorite guest collaborator of your Colorado Symphony.
On the first half, Martín teams up with our very own Principal Cellist Seoyoen Min to perform Shostakovich’s First Cello Concerto, whose qualities of mocking wit alternating with abject gloom kept Shostakovich in hot water with the cultural commissars for much of his creative life – rounding out a weekend of masterful music-making at Boettcher Concert Hall.
