The words selected by schnittke are ancient prayers from old sources, and deal with end times of. Schnittkes musical education began in vienna in 1946, where his father, originally from frankfurtmain, worked for a newspaper for two years. In his slight, short, and dissonant stille nacht, the sovietera russian composer alfred schnittke used a familiar christmas carol to express tacit dissent against a stifling. Sat voice soli, satb choir, trumpet, trombone, timpani, percussion, celeste, piano, organ, electric guitar, electric bass sheet music book by alfred schnittke 19341998.
This entry in phaidon press biographies of 20th century composers describes the life and work of alfred schnittke, the great russian postmodernist, and is written by noted russian cellist and friend of the composer alexander ivashkin. Polystylism, the combination of many styles in a single work, is schnittkes answer to a compositional crisis that he experienced as a young soviet composer. Alfred schnittke alfred schnittke was born on 24 november 1934 in engels, on the volga river, in the soviet union. Schnittke, igor khudolei, russian state symphonic cappella, russian state symphony orchestra, valeri polyansky. The real legacy of schnittkes music is its multidimensional exploration of what musical truth in the 20th century might be, from chaotic polystylism to heartfelt spirituality. Alfred schnittke was born in engels in the volgagerman republic of the russian sfsr. A meeting of alfred schnittke and cecil taylor might change the world. Unquestionably one of the choral masterpieces of the 20th century, alfred schnittkes concerto for mixed chorus is an extended setting about 40 minutes duration of words from the book of lamentations by the armenian monk grigor narekatsi 9511003. In the first movement, mysterious chords in steady pacing alternate between rich polytonality and archaic gesualdolike modulations, and between intense prayerfulness and sudden exclamation o. The dutch press labeled the opera a requiem for the soviet union. Requiem for solo voices, mixed choir and chamber ensemble based on f. The work was published in 1996, two years before schnittkes death. A guide to the music of alfred schnittke music the. The late compositions of alfred schnittke are quite enigmatic.
Alfred schnittke composer 19341998 play streams in full or download mp3 from classical archives, the largest and best organized classical music site on the web. Schnittkes father was a jewish journalist who had been born. His music from this period sounds very different from the serial extremism of the 1960s, when he wrote almost exclusively instrumental chamber works. In the early 80s, schnittke became one of the most talkedabout, recorded, and influential composers of the end of the 20th century. Mikhail gorbachev took office in 1985 and schnittke, perhaps sniffing the profound change that was about to sweep his country, thought. Unquestionably one of the choral masterpieces of the 20th century, alfred schnittke s concerto for mixed chorus is an extended setting about 40 minutes duration of words from the book of lamentations by the armenian monk grigor narekatsi 9511003. Polystylism and narrative potential in the music of alfred. Mikhail gorbachev took office in 1985 and schnittke, perhaps sniffing the profound change that was about to sweep his country, thought it was timely to reaffirm a core russian identity. In 1948 the family moved to moscow, where schnittke studied piano and received a diploma in choral conducting. The early polystylism of alfred schnittke demonstrates a gradual movement. Profiund genius of a man and composer, shows clearly in this requiem. Alfred schnittke began his musical education in 1946 in vienna where his father, a journalist and translator, had been posted. The real legacy of schnittke s music is its multidimensional exploration of what musical truth in the 20th century might be, from chaotic polystylism to heartfelt spirituality.
Written by bluesever thursday, 24 february 2011 19. Had alfred schnittkes concerto for choir been written in 1975 rather than 85, it would have necessarily been a different piece. Schnittkes requiem from the music to schillers drama don carlos 1975, which boston secession will perform on november 15, illustrates the influence of german music on schnittkes work. He began his musical education in 1946 in vienna, where his father had been posted. His father was born in frankfurt to a jewish family of russian origin who had moved to the ussr in 1926, and his mother was a volgagerman born in russia. In one 8 alfred schnittke, besedy s alfredom shnitke, ed. Alfred schnittke was born in 1934 in engels, the capital city of the former volga german republic. Written in 19845, it is scored for a very large choir and for this recording holst singers were augmented by large contingents of londons.
By his death in 1998, alfred schnittke had become one of the most performed. Alfred schnittke requiem, music to schillers drama don. Find alfred schnittke composition information on allmusic. Alfred schnittke 19341998 was born on 24 november 1934 in engels, on the volga river, in the soviet union. A schnittke reader by alfred schnittke, hardcover barnes. Alfred schnittke symphony no 4 requiem 1993 written by bluesever thursday, 24 february 2011 19.
Unlike their gigantic predecessors, his last symphonies from the sixthto the ninth are quite econo. Chandos records is one of the worlds premier classical music record companies, best known for. Forums for the international music score library project imslp skip to content. Schnittkes score for the film how tsar peter got the black man married. Words are saved for a finale in which all four types of church music are used contrapuntally as a fourpart choir. Requiem look inside by agnieszka kuk, bozena stasiowskachrobak, dominik sutowicz, katarzyna olesblacha, monika korybalska, olga maroszek, the choir of the faculty of music of the university of rzeszow, and the instrumental ensemble of. Compositional strategies in alfred schnittkes early polystylism. The book is illustrated with musical examples, many of them in schnittkes own hand. The emergence of the requiem sequence from the series suggests that the. Print and download in pdf or midi requiem alfred schnittke. Here and there one finds fascinating intrusions of a rock aesthetic. Public domain compositions, bmi broadcast music inc. Requiem by alfred schnittke 19341998 full score sheet.
Polystylistic works often present blunt juxtapositions of styles that cannot be explained by purely musical considerations. Russian dmitri shostakovich, igor stravinsky, germanic gustav mahler, alban berg, and american charles ives. In a schnittke reader, the composer speaks of his life, his works, other composers, performers, and a broad range of topics in 20thcentury music. Alfred schnittke, postmodernist russian composer who created serious, darktoned musical works characterized by abrupt juxtapositions of radically different, often contradictory, styles, an approach that came to be known as polystylism.
Alfred schnittke, an iconoclastic composer who won fame in the west as he struggled against the restraints of soviet cultural ideology at home, died yesterday at the university hospital in hamburg, germany. Had alfred schnittke s concerto for choir been written in 1975 rather than 85, it would have necessarily been a different piece. This is a list of compositions by composer alfred schnittke. Schnittke s father was a jewish journalist who had been born. Baixe no formato pdf, txt ou leia online no scribd. Performed by the canto string quartet eduardo canto arce and guillem cabre salagre violins, marton vineter viola, teodora nedyalkova cello at lutherse kerk, groningen, netherlands, december 16, 20. Requiem, music to schillers drama don carlos, for soloists, mixed chorus and instrumental ensemble play streams in full or download mp3 from classical archives, the largest and best organized classical music site on the web. List of compositions by alfred schnittke wikipedia. Electric guitars flavor such works as the symphony no.
It is now widely accepted that alfred schnittke, whose life was tragically cut short on august 3, 1998, was the most significant figure in late20thcentury russian music, largely because he continued to develop the musical traditions established by shostakovich. Resident in moscow from 1948 onwards, schnittke initially completed his training as a choral conductor. Schnittke, alfred 193498 concerto for choir 198485 sikorski. Their texture became very ascetic, and the number of notes was reduced. This dissertation examines the narrative potential created by polystylism in selected works of alfred schnittke.
It was in vienna, schnittke s biographer alexander ivashkin writes, where he fell in love with music which is part of life, part of history and culture, part of the past which is still alive. As a german jewish composer living in russia, schnittke displays his deep understanding of the roots of the music of the russian orthodox church. Schnittke belonged to a rebellious arm of soviet composition that included sofia. This article was conceived and written in memory of the composer on the 10th anniversary of his death. Schnittke was reluctant to publish the concerto and some other sacred works outside. Polyansky was familiar with schnittkes requiem, another largescale 3 biscd1157 schnittke etc 62504 2. Schnittke requiem 01 requiem sheet music for voice.
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