Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony (1888) dates from a phase in his life when he was already a successful and internationally respected composer. Only in Russia were his new works still frequently the object of fierce criticism, which led the renowned critic Herman Laroche to conclude that in his homeland, he had only been taught how to compose according to expectations. In reality, it was Tchaikovsky himself who, despite his many triumphs, was relentlessly self-critical, often uncertain about the value of his own scores, which he submitted to others for judgement (such as his pupil Sergei Taneyev, whom he trusted). Even as a composer of symphonic music, he did not yet feel genuinely accomplished, although he had already written four great symphonies besides Manfred.