Schnittke agony

Alfred schnittke imslp
Alfred schnittke quotes
Alfred composer

•

Alfred Schnittke (20th Century Composers) - Softcover

Synopsis

This biography of the Russian composer Alfred Schnittke (born in 1934) presents a portrait of a man whose musical input has been inextricably linked to the strictures of life in the Soviet Union. His music, as a reflection of Russian cultural and social traditions, as well as mentality, enjoys tremendous popularity in his own country, and increasingly on an international level. Sixtieth-birthday celebrations in 1994 left no doubt as to the stature of this prolific composer, who has suffered three strokes since 1985. Born in the Volga German republic of the USSR, Schnittke enjoyed early formative musical experiences in 1940s Vienna. For most of his adult life in Russia, however, his music was powerfully shaped by the frustrations of the Soviet period; he reacted strongly against the ideology of the era. After his controversially dissonant oratorio, "Nagasaki" (1958), he was attacked for writing music with "bourgeois" and "formalistic" tendancies. But despite and perhaps because of official disapproval, his music, part

•

Alfred Schnittke

This biography of the Russian composer Alfred Schnittke (b.1934) presents a fascinating portrait of a man whose musical output is inextricably linked to the strictures of life in the former Soviet Union. For most of his adult life in Russia Schnittke's music was powerfully shaped by the frustrations of the Soviet period and he reacted strongly against the ideology of the era. His symphonies lie arguably at the end of the Germanic symphonic tradition, yet each represents a new concept of the genre for the twentieth century. His works reveal the influence of Shostakovich among others, but remain strongly original. Each of his compositions can be understood primarily to offer a unique synthesis of many different influences and styles.

The author gives a detailed discussion of Schnittke's music and theories, arguing that the various stylistic elements in his works - his polystylism - may be perceived as part of a new, more universal language.

•

Alfred Schnittke

January 6, 2024

I found this a pretty good primer on the music and life of Alfred Schnittke. The book was included in Phaidon's 20th Century Composers series, published in the 1990s and now discontinued. These are accessible and attractively presented introductions, with a stylish layout that has stood the test of time, and plenty of illustrations to lighten the text. At the back of the book is a useful list of works, suggestions for further reading, a selective discography and a relatively fine-grained index. Exactly what you would expect from this type of book. Predictably, detailed discussions of individual works are not to be be found. Caveat: the book was published in 1996, two years for the composer's death. As a result the list of works is not complete (the Ninth Symphony, amongst others is not included). Also the discography is somewhat outdated (although the bulk of recordings still in the catalogue of the BIS and Chandos labels was recorded before the publication date).

Beyond the biographical narrative, I am interested in better understanding the arti