Tchaikovsky’s Second Symphony, nicknamed “Little Russian”, opens with a melody presented on its own on solo french horn.
Tchaikovsky then uses this melody as his only material for the opening three to four minutes, presenting it in three full re orchestrated forms, and then several fragmented forms.
The first full version sees bassoons take up the melody with a light pizzicato string accompaniment.
Filling out, the melody is repeated again on one French Horn, with woodwind and string accompaniment.
The third full repetition is the largest orchestration and comes between two sections that fragment the melody.
This orchestration sees octave woodwinds take the theme, while violins and violas perform demisemiquaver figures, and horns and low strings provide some chordal padding.
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