The Symphonies of Wind Instruments (French title: Symphonies d'instruments à vent) is a concert work written by Igor Stravinsky in 1920, for an ensemble of woodwind and brass instruments. The piece is in one movement, lasting about 9 minutes. It is dedicated to the memory of Claude Debussy, who died in 1918, and was premiered in London on 10 June 1921, conducted by Serge Koussevitzky.
A piano reduction by Arthur Lourié was published in 1926,[1] a full score appearing only after Stravinsky re-orchestrated the work in 1947.[2]
In the title of this piece, Stravinsky used the word "symphonies" (note the plural form) not to label the work as an essay in the symphonic form, but rather in the word's older, broader connotation, from the Greek, of "sounding together".[1] The music of the Symphonies draws on Russian folk elements, and is constructed of "contrasting episodes at three different yet related tempos".[3]
The chorale which concludes the piece was originally published in the magazine La Revue musicale in an edition entitled Le Tombeau de Claude Debussy, which included short pieces from several composers, including Maurice Ravel and Manuel de Falla, dedicated to Debussy's memory.[4] It appeared as a piano score in the Tombeau.[citation needed]
Reception
The premiere at Queen's Hall, London, was greeted initially by laughter and derision from an audience unaccustomed to Stravinsky's experimental work. According to Arthur Rubinstein, who attended the performance with Stravinsky, laughter broke out during the bassoon segment, and the conductor, Koussevitzky, "instead of stopping the performance and addressing the audience with a few words, assuring them that it was a serious work in the modern idiom, smiled maliciously and even had a twinkle in his eye as he looked over his shoulder at the laughing audience".[5] A reviewer for the Times reported, however, that the hisses "were no sign of ill-will towards the composer", and subsided when Stravinsky stood up at the end of the performance to bow.[6]
Anon. 1921. "The New Stravinsky Symphony". The Times (Saturday 11 June), p. 8.
Freed, Richard. 2006. About the Composition: Symphonies of Wind Instruments (original 1920 version) (program note written for performances by the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington DC).
Harrison, Max (1994) Symphonies, Psalms, Concertos – Orchestral Works by Stravinsky (Liner notes for Philips CD 442 583-2).
Howe, Hubert. 2006. "Works of Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971)", on class website, Music 784: Twentieth-Century Music I. New York: Queens College, City University of New York (retrieved on 11 August 2008).
White, Eric Walter. 1979. Stravinsky: The Composer and His Works, second edition. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press. ISBN0-520-03985-8.
Further reading
Cone, Edward T. 1962. "Stravinsky: The Progress of a Method". Perspectives of New Music 1, no. 1 (Fall): 18–26. Reprinted in Perspectives on Schoenberg and Stravinsky, edited by Benjamin Boretz and Edward T. Cone (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1968; reissued New York: W. W. Norton, 1972): 155–164. Also reprinted in Edward T. Cone, Music: A View from Delft (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1989): 293–301.
Craft, Robert. 1983–84. "A. On the Symphonies of Wind Instruments. B. Toward Corrected Editions of the Sonata, Serenade, and Concerto for Two Pianos. C. The Chronology of the Octet". Perspectives of New Music 22, nos. 1 & 2:448–463.
Gubernikoff, Carole. 2000. "Stravinsky: Symphonies d'instruments à vent". In Anais do I Seminário Nacional de Pesquisa em Performance Musical. I, edited by André Cavazotti and Fausto Borém. [Brazil]: Multimídia. (CD-ROM publication.)
Hascher, Xavier. 2003. "De l'harmonie au timbre, vers une harmonie de timbres: L'exemple de Stravinsky". Analyse Musicale, no. 48 (September): 83–98.
Kramer, Jonathan D. 1978. "Moment Form in Twentieth-Century Music". The Musical Quarterly 64, no. 2 (April): 177–195.
Randel, Don. 1986. The New Harvard Dictionary of Music. Cambridge: Belknap Press. ISBN0-674-61525-5. (p. 822 and 825).
Rehding, Alexander. 1998. "Towards a 'Logic of Discontinuity' in Stravinsky's Symphonies of Wind Instruments: Hasty, Kramer, and Straus Reconsidered". Music Analysis 17, no. 1 (March): 39–65.
Somfai, Lászlo. 1972. "Symphonies of Wind Instruments (1920). Observations on Stravinsky's Organic Construction". Studia Musicologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 14, fasc. 1/4: 355–383.
Straus, Joseph N. 1982. "A Principle of Voice Leading in the Music of Stravinsky". Music Theory Spectrum: The Journal of the Society for Music Theory 4:106–124.
Stravinsky, Igor. 1991. Symphonies d'instruments à vent: Faksimileausgabe des Particells und der Partitur der Erstfassung (1920), edited and with a commentary by André Baltensperger and Felix Meyer. Winterthur: Amadeus Verlag. ISBN3-905049-46-5.
Taruskin, Richard. 1993. "Review: Igor Stravinsky. Symphonies d'instruments à vent: Faksimileausgabe des Particells und der Partitur der Erstfassung (1920)". Notes, Second Series 49, No. 4 (June): 1617–1621.
Van den Toorn, Pieter C. 1998. "Metrical Displacement in Stravinsky". Mitteilungen der Paul Sacher Stiftung, no. 11 (April): 24–28.
Walsh, Stephen. 1996. "Stravinsky's Symphonies: Accident or Design?" In Analytical Strategies and Musical Interpretation: Essays on Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Music, edited by Craig Ayrey and Mark Everist, 35–71. New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN0-521-46249-5
Wason, Robert W. 1994. "Toward a Critical Edition of Stravinsky's Symphonies of Wind Instruments". In The Wind Ensemble and Its Repertoire: Essays on the Fortieth Anniversary of the Eastman Wind Ensemble, edited by Frank J. Cipolla and Donald Hunsberger, 121–140. Rochester: University of Rochester.
Yuzefovich, Victor, and Marina Kostalevsky. 2002. "Chronicle of a Non-Friendship: Letters of Stravinsky and Koussevitzky". The Musical Quarterly 86, no. 4 (Winter): 750–885.
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The Symphonies of Wind Instruments French title Symphonies d instruments a vent is a concert work written by Igor Stravinsky in 1920 for an ensemble of woodwind and brass instruments The piece is in one movement lasting about 9 minutes It is dedicated to the memory of Claude Debussy who died in 1918 and was premiered in London on 10 June 1921 conducted by Serge Koussevitzky A piano reduction by Arthur Lourie was published in 1926 1 a full score appearing only after Stravinsky re orchestrated the work in 1947 2 Contents 1 Instrumentation 2 Analysis 3 Reception 4 References 5 Further readingInstrumentation EditThe Symphonies was originally scored for an ensemble of 24 wind instruments 3 flutes 3rd doubling piccolo alto flute 2 oboes English horn 2 clarinets alto clarinet in F commonly known as a basset horn 3 bassoons 3rd doubling contrabassoon 4 horns 3 trumpets 3 trombones and tuba The 1947 revision requires 23 players 3 flutes 2 oboes English horn 3 clarinets 3 bassoons 3rd doubling contrabassoon 4 horns 3 trumpets 3 trombones and tuba Analysis EditIn the title of this piece Stravinsky used the word symphonies note the plural form not to label the work as an essay in the symphonic form but rather in the word s older broader connotation from the Greek of sounding together 1 The music of the Symphonies draws on Russian folk elements and is constructed of contrasting episodes at three different yet related tempos 3 The chorale which concludes the piece was originally published in the magazine La Revue musicale in an edition entitled Le Tombeau de Claude Debussy which included short pieces from several composers including Maurice Ravel and Manuel de Falla dedicated to Debussy s memory 4 It appeared as a piano score in the Tombeau citation needed Reception EditThe premiere at Queen s Hall London was greeted initially by laughter and derision from an audience unaccustomed to Stravinsky s experimental work According to Arthur Rubinstein who attended the performance with Stravinsky laughter broke out during the bassoon segment and the conductor Koussevitzky instead of stopping the performance and addressing the audience with a few words assuring them that it was a serious work in the modern idiom smiled maliciously and even had a twinkle in his eye as he looked over his shoulder at the laughing audience 5 A reviewer for the Times reported however that the hisses were no sign of ill will towards the composer and subsided when Stravinsky stood up at the end of the performance to bow 6 References Edit a b White 1979 292 Howe 2006 Harrison 1994 Freed 2006 Rubinstein 1980 173 Anon 1921 Sources Anon 1921 The New Stravinsky Symphony The Times Saturday 11 June p 8 Freed Richard 2006 About the Composition Symphonies of Wind Instruments original 1920 version program note written for performances by the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington DC Harrison Max 1994 Symphonies Psalms Concertos Orchestral Works by Stravinsky Liner notes for Philips CD 442 583 2 Howe Hubert 2006 Works of Igor Stravinsky 1882 1971 on class website Music 784 Twentieth Century Music I New York Queens College City University of New York retrieved on 11 August 2008 Rubinstein Arthur 1980 My Many Years New York Knopf White Eric Walter 1979 Stravinsky The Composer and His Works second edition Berkeley and Los Angeles University of California Press ISBN 0 520 03985 8 Further reading EditCone Edward T 1962 Stravinsky The Progress of a Method Perspectives of New Music 1 no 1 Fall 18 26 Reprinted in Perspectives on Schoenberg and Stravinsky edited by Benjamin Boretz and Edward T Cone Princeton Princeton University Press 1968 reissued New York W W Norton 1972 155 164 Also reprinted in Edward T Cone Music A View from Delft Chicago University of Chicago Press 1989 293 301 Craft Robert 1983 84 A On the Symphonies of Wind Instruments B Toward Corrected Editions of the Sonata Serenade and Concerto for Two Pianos C The Chronology of the Octet Perspectives of New Music 22 nos 1 amp 2 448 463 Gubernikoff Carole 2000 Stravinsky Symphonies d instruments a vent In Anais do I Seminario Nacional de Pesquisa em Performance Musical I edited by Andre Cavazotti and Fausto Borem Brazil Multimidia CD ROM publication Hascher Xavier 2003 De l harmonie au timbre vers une harmonie de timbres L exemple de Stravinsky Analyse Musicale no 48 September 83 98 Kramer Jonathan D 1978 Moment Form in Twentieth Century Music The Musical Quarterly 64 no 2 April 177 195 Randel Don 1986 The New Harvard Dictionary of Music Cambridge Belknap Press ISBN 0 674 61525 5 p 822 and 825 Rehding Alexander 1998 Towards a Logic of Discontinuity in Stravinsky s Symphonies of Wind Instruments Hasty Kramer and Straus Reconsidered Music Analysis 17 no 1 March 39 65 Somfai Laszlo 1972 Symphonies of Wind Instruments 1920 Observations on Stravinsky s Organic Construction Studia Musicologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 14 fasc 1 4 355 383 Straus Joseph N 1982 A Principle of Voice Leading in the Music of Stravinsky Music Theory Spectrum The Journal of the Society for Music Theory 4 106 124 Stravinsky Igor 1991 Symphonies d instruments a vent Faksimileausgabe des Particells und der Partitur der Erstfassung 1920 edited and with a commentary by Andre Baltensperger and Felix Meyer Winterthur Amadeus Verlag ISBN 3 905049 46 5 Taruskin Richard 1993 Review Igor Stravinsky Symphonies d instruments a vent Faksimileausgabe des Particells und der Partitur der Erstfassung 1920 Notes Second Series 49 No 4 June 1617 1621 Van den Toorn Pieter C 1998 Metrical Displacement in Stravinsky Mitteilungen der Paul Sacher Stiftung no 11 April 24 28 Walsh Stephen 1996 Stravinsky s Symphonies Accident or Design In Analytical Strategies and Musical Interpretation Essays on Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Music edited by Craig Ayrey and Mark Everist 35 71 New York Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 46249 5 Wason Robert W 1994 Toward a Critical Edition of Stravinsky s Symphonies of Wind Instruments In The Wind Ensemble and Its Repertoire Essays on the Fortieth Anniversary of the Eastman Wind Ensemble edited by Frank J Cipolla and Donald Hunsberger 121 140 Rochester University of Rochester Yuzefovich Victor and Marina Kostalevsky 2002 Chronicle of a Non Friendship Letters of Stravinsky and Koussevitzky The Musical Quarterly 86 no 4 Winter 750 885 Portal Classical music Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Symphonies of Wind Instruments amp oldid 1113265514, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
