Symphony No. 0 (Schnittke)

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Symphony No. 0 by Russian composer Alfred Schnittke was composed in 1956–57 whilst Schnittke was a student at the Moscow Conservatory.^[1] It was given its first performance in 1957 by the Moscow Conservatory Symphony Orchestra conducted by Algis Zhiuratis. Present at the premiere were Dmitri Shostakovich and Dmitry Kabalevsky.^[2]

The symphony is scored for an orchestra of:

3 flutes (third doubling piccolo), 2 oboes (second doubling cor anglais), 3 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, percussion, harpsichord, piano, and strings.

The movements are as follows:

Allegro ma non troppo
Allegro vivace
Andante
Allegro

The playing time is approximately 40 minutes.

The compositional style has been likened to that of Nikolai Myaskovsky, who was the teacher of Schnittke's composition teacher Evgeny Golubev, and to that of Shostakovich,^[3] Paul Hindemith and Carl Orff.^[1]

Apart from the innovative use of the harpsichord in the orchestra, which was to become a signature of Schnittke's later music, the symphony has been criticised for its lack of originality, including "imitation" of Shostakovich^[2] and "borrowed gestures".^[3]

Recordings

The symphony has been recorded by the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes for the BIS record label.

References

^ ^a ^b Alexander Ivashkin (2007) Liner note from BIS recording
^ ^a ^b Clark, Philip. "Schnittke Symphony No 0; Nagasaki - Early Schnittke proves intriguing". Gramophone. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
^ ^a ^b Leonard, James. "Owain Arwel Hughes, Alfred Schnittke: Symphony No. 0; Nagasaki". allmusic.com. Retrieved 22 February 2019.

v t e Alfred Schnittke
List of compositions
Stage works	Historia von D. Johann Fausten Life with an Idiot
Orchestral music	Symphony No. 0 Symphony No. 1 Symphony No. 2 (St. Florian) Symphony No. 3 Symphony No. 4 Symphony No. 5 (Concerto Grosso No. 4) Symphony No. 6 Symphony No. 7 Symphony No. 8 Symphony No. 9 In Memoriam...
Concertante	Concerto Grosso No. 1 Concerto Grosso No. 3 Concerto for Piano and String Orchestra Viola Concerto Violin Concerto No. 4
Chamber music	Piano Quintet
Vocal music	Nagasaki
Collaborations	Requiem of Reconciliation
Film scores	Introduction to Life (1963) Adventures of a Dentist (1965) Commissar (1967) The Glass Harmonica (1968) Sport, Sport, Sport (1970) Belorussian Station (1971) You and Me (1971) The Seagull (1972) Autumn (1974) Agony (1975) How Czar Peter the Great Married Off His Moor (1976) The Ascent (1977) Story of an Unknown Actor (1977) Father Sergius (1978) Little Tragedies (1979) Air Crew (1980) Farewell (1983) The Story of Voyages (1983) Dead Souls (1984) A Step (1988) Presence (1992) The Master and Margarita (1994)
Related articles	Curse of the ninth Polystylism
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