音樂是人類共同的語言,她傳達的不僅是人類心靈層面共同的情感,更包含了對於人類生命意義的沉思。偉大的作曲家柴可夫斯基,是第一位將俄羅斯民族特質發揚到國際舞台的俄國音樂家。在他的眾多屬於委託創作的音樂作品中,交響曲是唯一屬於自由創作的音樂類別,也是作曲家抒發內心感動和哲思的途徑。尤其第五號交響曲可說是柴可夫斯基與天命的對話,他擷用了貝多芬《第五號交響曲》中的命運主題,作為全首交響曲的貫穿思想。俄羅斯民族對於命運的態度,塑造了民族性格中非常重要的特徵-富有衝突和矛盾的特性,猶如柴可夫斯基音樂中水與火之強烈對比性,即是深邃俄羅斯文化內在深度最佳的例證。 Music truly is the universal language. Not only does it express common emotions on a spiritual level, but it also helps us meditate on the deeper meanings of life. The work of the great composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky brought Russian characteristics in classical music to world prominence in the later half of the 19th century. Among his numerous symphonies, this is the only one that was not commissioned and perhaps best represents the composer’s exercise of artistic license. In the 5th Symphony the composer expresses some of his deepest emotions and philosophical thoughts. These expressions are most noticeable in his meditations on fate – the central theme of the symphony, which was borrowed from Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. Tchaikovsky’s musical manifestation of Russian characteristics is deeply rooted in the fate of the Russian people, which contains irony and conflict. We will show the tremendous conflict of the elements of fire and water in Tchaikovsky’s music, which illustrates how his music represents Russian culture.