Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64

Composed in 1888 and premiered by Tchaikovsky himself, the Fifth Symphony pursues a cyclic "motto" theme — a solemn march in the winds — through all four movements, transforming it from a dark fatalistic figure in the first movement to a triumphant C major fanfare in the finale. The second movement's celebrated horn solo is one of the great solos in the orchestral literature and one of the most coveted positions for a young horn player. The waltz third movement provides a brief moment of aristocratic grace before the finale's grand peroration. Of the six symphonies, the Fifth is the most architecturally clear and the most frequently programmed.