I. Adagio – Aallegro no troppo
II. Allegro con grazia
III. Allegro molto vivace
IV. Finale. Adagio lamentoso – Andante

„I am firmly convinced that this is the best of all my compositions. I love it as I have never loved any other work” – wrote Tchaikovsky before the premiere of his final work in October, 1893.

The piece was a moderate success at its first performance in Saint Petersburg. However, a few days later, on November 6th, the day when Tchaikovsky died, word went round that in this symphony the composer had in fact written about his own death. On November 14th, it was performed at a concert staged in tribute to his memory. Rimsky Korsakov wrote after this event: The public now went into raptures over the symphony that at this moment began its shining career of fame and popularity gradually conquering the whole of Europe.