October: The Autumn Song

Here is a poem by Count Tolstoy which reads:

"Autumn, Our poor garden is all falling down. The yellowed leaves are flying in the wind."
Very sad picture.

Now, just to mention, because, of course, you know the Tolstoys. There were three Tolstoys in Russia:

• Leo Tolstoy - famous for writing War and Peace and Anna Karenina.
• Alexey Tolstoy - known for writing Peter the Great and Walking in Agony.
• Count Alexei Tolstoy - we call him the third Tolstoy. He wasn't as popular as the other two, but was also a wonderful writer and poet.

Overview of the Piece

The October or the Autumn Song is not a very long piece, and it is not a very virtuosic piece like, for example, August, September, or November. However, it leaves the listener with the most profound and lasting impression.

• Mood: Very, very sad; melancholic.
• Context: October is a very sad month in Russia. It's not as beautiful as the fall or autumn here in the U.S. or maybe the U.K. The trees are bare, it's cold, it's raining, and it's extremely gloomy. Summer's gone, and winter is not yet here.

Tchaikovsky's Influence

As we know, Tchaikovsky was very prone to these feelings; he was a very lonely person, quite a depressive type. He was brooding and loved to be brooding. We are aware of his trials and tribulations in his personal life, and he wasn't a very happy individual.

"The Nature is crying. It's saying goodbye to the summer."

It is, of course, a song, but it is such a masterpiece, a gem. This piece is very popular and has been arranged for many instruments, performed countless times around the world in concerts.

• Performance Context: I often play it as an encore or program it in the main program. It's loved by amateur music lovers and students alike.
• Popularity: If there were a list of the 100 most popular piano miniatures, this piece would be at the top. It's one of my favorites, and I program it often.

Emotional Conveyance

Unlike the other pieces, Tchaikovsky isn't really describing anything specific here. There's no lark, no imitation, just this feeling of sadness. It evokes memories of something that has been lost.

• Challenge of Performance: It's important to convey that feeling, which can be difficult. Sometimes, pieces with fewer notes are the hardest to perform.

Musical Structure

The October is written in a simple ABA three-part form:

• First part: 16 measures.
• Second part: 16 measures (same as the first).
• Middle section: 21 measures with a climax in measures 21 and 22.
• Coda: 7 measures.

In examining the dynamic plan, it primarily consists of piano, mezzo piano, and pianissimo. There is a mezzo forte in measure 22, and the culmination features a crescendo in measure 21.

Tempo and Expression

Once we know the dynamic plan and structure, it's very important to consider the tempo indication, which is highly unusual:

Andante doloroso e molta cantabile

• Andante: We know it's a walking tempo, one of the slower tempos.
• Molta cantabile: Meaning the most singing way.

The standout term here is doloroso, which translates to "sorrowful" or "with sorrow." This carries significant connotation in the Christian culture, referring to Via Doloroso, the sorrowful path that Jesus walked to his execution. I don't think it's a coincidence that Tchaikovsky chose this term.

Tchaikovsky's Legacy

This choice of language is key to understanding this profound and deep piece where he perhaps shares very personal secrets with us. Tchaikovsky's untimely end echoes this sentiment, whether he got sick and died or chose to end his life, it was indeed tragic.

"He was still full of life."

In the same way that Mozart bid farewell with his Requiem, Tchaikovsky said goodbye with his famous Pathetique, or Sixth Symphony.

Technical Elements

Returning to October, its seemingly simple structure and texture feature a melody in accompaniment. As with every melody, we should pay attention to the little slurs to create a long phrase toward D, continuing that second sentence.

Left Hand: It's vital that whenever the right hand has part of the accompaniment, all notes are audible but do not overshadow the melody.

• This point cannot be overstated; it's an essential principle of musical performance. Whenever there's a structure of accompaniment, the melody must never be overshadowed by the accompaniment.