Concert Review Of The Non 49 By Tchaikovsky

While returning home for a family emergency, I attended my younger sisters fall band/orchestra concert on October 1st. This performance was in the auditorium of my high school, New Providence High School. My sister plays the violin and has been playing for almost her whole life.The principal performers included assortments of string instruments, including violin, viola, cello, and bass. Also, there was an assortment of brass instruments such as trumpets, french horns, and trombones. The entire woodwind family was included in this performance as well. Although, the use of percussion instruments and the piano was extremely limited, the piano was only in use for certain ballads. At this concert I heard a jumble of different tunes, but the non

49 by Tchaikovsky. The tempo of this song was adagio and the texture for the beginning of this song was homophonic. The beginning of the song sounded sentimental to me for whatever reason. Unison of the violins and violas was absolutely beautiful in my opinion. However, suddenly the woodwind section, specifically clarinets, jumped in and a polyphonic texture between strings and woodwinds occurred. The woodwinds performed the main melody while strings performed a contrasting melody at the same time. Out of nowhere, the percussion section entered and began to play, at this point the entire ensemble completely changed course. At this point, the piece begins to sound like a battle as if the woodwinds and strings are at war. Alternating between strings and woodwinds, the piece moves along, increasing tempo. The amplitude of the piece changes from silent to fortissimo to create a more dramatic feel. This specific song changes mood, tempo, texture, and rhythm so often that it reminds me of the always changing nature of war. Tchaikovsky’s use of dynamic sounds and beautiful harmony paints a beautiful picture for all