Francesca da Rimini (Tchaikovsky)

Francesca da Rimini (Tchaikovsky)

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's symphonic poem "Francesca da Rimini: Symphonic Fantasy after Dante", Op. 32 was composed in less than three weeks during his visit to Bayreuth in the autumn of 1876.

In this fantasia, Tchaikovsky presents a symphonic interpretation of the tragic tale of Francesca da Rimini, a beauty who was immortalized in Dante's "Divine Comedy". In the fifth canto of Inferno, Dante the narrator meets the shade of Francesca da Rimini, a noblewoman who fell in love with the brother of her ugly husband. After the lovers were discovered and killed in revenge by the husband, they were condemned to hell for their adulterous passions. In their damnation, the lovers are trapped in a violent storm but separated from each other, never to touch again. They are tormented most of all by the ineradicable memory of the joys and pleasures of the embraces they once shared.

In writing "Francesca da Rimini", Tchaikovsky expressed a poignant identification with the heroine and her tragic fate, a sympathy which was also dramatically evoked in his ballet Swan Lake and the Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture.

This symphonic poem, perhaps more than any other of Tchaikovsky's works, shows the influence of Liszt, both musically and in terms of subject matter. Liszt frequently chose subjects of a gothic, devilish nature: the Dante Symphony (1857), Totentanz (1849) and Sonata "Après une lecture de Dante" (1856) are cases in point. Tchaikovky's use of swirling chromaticism in the depiction of the flames of hell also owe a great deal to Liszt.

The score calls for 3 flutes and piccolo, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 cornets, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, cymbals, bass drum, tam-tam, and strings. Duration, 25 minutes.

Notable recordings

* Christoph Eschenbach conducting the Houston Symphony in 1994.
* Riccardo Muti conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1999.
* Arranged and recorded for organ by [http://www.joshperschbacher.com Josh Perschbacher] in 2006.
* Figures prominently in the 1948 motion picture "Unfaithfully Yours" by Preston Sturges

Media

External links

*IMSLP2|id=Francesca_da_Rimini%2C_Op.32_%28Tchaikovsky%2C_Pyotr_Ilyich%29|cname=Francesca da Rimini


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  • Francesca da Rimini (disambiguation) — Francesca da Rimini is the name given to several works based on the historical figure, Francesca da Rimini. It could refer to: * Francesca da Rimini (Tchaikovsky), a symphonic poem composed by Pyotr Tchaikovsky in 1876. * Francesca da Rimini… …   Wikipedia

  • Francesca da Rimini — or Francesca da Polenta (1255 – 1285) was the daughter of Guido da Polenta, lord of Ravenna. She was a historical contemporary of Dante Alighieri, who portrayed her as a character in the Divine Comedy .Arranged marriageGuido I da Polenta had been …   Wikipedia

  • Francesca Da Rimini (Tchaïkovski) — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Francesca da Rimini (homonymie). Francesca da Rimini Op. 32 Франческа да Римини Genre Poème symphonique Musique …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Francesca da Rimini (Tchaikovski) — Francesca da Rimini (Tchaïkovski) Pour les articles homonymes, voir Francesca da Rimini (homonymie). Francesca da Rimini Op. 32 Франческа да Римини Genre Poème symphonique Musique …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Francesca da Rimini de Tchaïkovski — Francesca da Rimini (Tchaïkovski) Pour les articles homonymes, voir Francesca da Rimini (homonymie). Francesca da Rimini Op. 32 Франческа да Римини Genre Poème symphonique Musique …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Francesca da rimini (tchaïkovski) — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Francesca da Rimini (homonymie). Francesca da Rimini Op. 32 Франческа да Римини Genre Poème symphonique Musique …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Francesca da Rimini (Rachmaninoff) — Francesca da Rimini ( ru. Франческа да Римини), Op. 25 is an opera in two acts by Sergei Rachmaninoff to a Russian libretto by Modest Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It is based on the story of Francesca da Rimini in the fifth canto of Dante s epic poem The… …   Wikipedia

  • Francesca da Rimini (Tschaikowski) — Francesca da Rimini op. 32 ist eine Sinfonische Dichtung des russischen Komponisten Pjotr Tschaikowski. Das Stück entstand im Oktober des Jahres 1876 und basiert auf dem 5. Gesang aus der Göttlichen Komödie des italienischen Dichters Dante… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Francesca da Rimini (Tchaïkovski) — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Francesca da Rimini (homonymie). Francesca da Rimini Op. 32 Франческа да Римини …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Francesca — f Italian: feminine form of FRANCESCO (SEE Francesco). Originally a vocabulary word meaning ‘French’, it was bestowed from the 13th century onwards in honour of St Francis of Assisi. It has also been used independently as an English name.… …   First names dictionary

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