# Schnittke Symphony 1



## mahlernerd (Jan 19, 2020)

Schnittke’s Symphony 1 is a phenomenal work that blends old styles and themes (even quotations) and blends them with new techniques and extreme dissonances. What do you think of this work? If you have not listened to it, Leif Segerstam and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic have a great recording of the work.

WARNING! If you do not like loud and brash dissonances, DO NOT listen to this work!


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

A very exciting symphony and performance. There are many Schnittke fans here. To get an idea about discussions on this composer just use the advanced search option. Type in Schnittke and click on titles only. You should find the composer guestbook entry and other threads.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

If there is a Frankenstein's Monster among classical music symphonies, it is the Schnittke Symphony 1.

It took me a couple of attempts before I could get through an entire listen to this work, and I count myself a fan of contemporary music. But this work remains a masterpiece, and like all masterpieces in art it claims a certain "strangeness" in its identity.

Like other great Frankensteinian works of art, the Schnittke First deserves your visit, though it doesn't expect any frequent followings. Besides, Schnittke has several other symphonies you won't want to ignore. And, there _is_ all that other music out there as well.

But there's only one Frankenstein Monster, so don't forget it. Meanwhile, I wish I could say that the Russian name Schnittke translates to Frankenstein, or even Victor. It doesn't. But it does share a couple of letters and a rhyme with Shelley, authoress of the remarkable novel that provides an analogy for Schnittke's symphony. And that's close enough for me.

On the other hand, perhaps the name Schnittke translates to Wollstonecraft. Wouldn't _that_ be something! (Enough at least to get you to listen to the symphony, I'd hope.)


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

_Meanwhile, I wish I could say that the Russian name Schnittke translates to Frankenstein, or even Victor. It doesn't. But it does share a couple of letters and a rhyme with Shelley, authoress of the remarkable novel that provides an analogy for Schnittke's symphony. And that's close enough for me.

On the other hand, perhaps the name Schnittke translates to Wollstonecraft. Wouldn't that be something! _

Well, Sonnet, the name Schnittke has German origins. The noun schnitter means 'cutter' or 'reaper' - that's about as close as I can get!

Starthrower is quite right - there are sizeable pockets of support for Schnittke on this site, and it won't take long to find some good threads on him, even if they aren't necessarily active any more.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

^ So we have the cutting but not the pasting?

It is a great work but not one I greatly warm to (as I do with a fair amount of Schnittke's music). For one thing it is far too long! For another I never really took to the post-modern practice of quoting big chunks of popular classical music and stitching it together to make a piece.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

It's just one of the techniques he employed for building some of his pieces. But there is so much more stuff that for me has a lot of depth and brilliant music. The polystylistic stuff is fun when you're in an extroverted mood and you want something raucous and wild to listen to. I find myself mostly listening to nos. 2-8 for the symphonies.

The cello concerto no.1 and sonata, and his chamber music including violin/piano, and string quartets are the pieces I've been listening to lately. And the viola concerto performed by Yuri Bashmet. His ambitious ballet score Peer Gynt is filled with some great music but I haven't been able to grasp it as a whole because it's such a big piece and I haven't listened to it enough.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

I saw the score the first time here. Check out the intro. There is some indeterminacy, the best kind, not Captain Beefheart or the Cagean sort.


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## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

Phil loves classical said:


> There is some indeterminacy, the best kind, not Captain Beefheart or the Cagean sort.


What's wrong with those two?


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Portamento said:


> What's wrong with those two?


Nothing. Just not the best kind to me. I get a sense of more sensitivity or sophistication in Schnittke's handling.


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