Ru
EnI. Koposova
Modern antisymphonies as an example of polemic with a traditional genre
Transformation of traditional genres became a characteristic feature of music in the second half of the twentieth century. The tendency manifested itself, among other things, in anti-genres that were formed in different spheres: in opera, symphony and chamber music. This article analyzes three works that emerged within the cultures that had a strong symphonic tradition in the twentieth century. These are opuses by the Finnish avant-garde composers Henrik Otto Donner (Symphony No. 1, 1964), Kari Rydman («Symphony of Modern Worlds», 1968), and one of the largest Russian authors – Alfred Schnittke (Symphony No. 1, 1974). All three works have been called “antisymphony” by the authors or researchers, they all have polistylistic features, although the artistic approach in each of them differs. The Finnish works are one-part and have little in common with the familiar symphony genre. Donner’s opus is built almost entirely upon quotations belonging to different strata of culture (classical and pop music, jazz). This allows us to see it as an equalization of material of any genesis and as a reference to electroacoustics music aesthetic, which was in a field of the composer’s interests at the time. Rydman’s symphony is dominated by allusive material, making its sound less collage-like. It features the author’s blues theme and a quote from the Chinese folk song “The East is Red”, the unofficial anthem of the People’s Republic of China. Their juxtaposition determined the compositional and dramaturgical profile of the work – contrast between Western and Eastern cultures. Schnittke’s symphony, the only one under analysis, has a traditional four-part structure and, despite numerous innovations (instrumental theater, collective improvisation, etc.), has been interpreted by the composer and scholars alike as going along the line of traditional genre. The content of these works is also interpreted differently: in Donner’s opus we can see a reflection of the acoustic landscape of modern world and a return to the etymology of the word “symphony”, while in Rydman’s and Schnittke’s works we can see reflections on typical modern issues. In general, the analyzed compositions, having shown the broadness of the “anti-symphony” concept, indicate that the “symphonic era” is not over yet.
Key words
contemporary genre situation, antisymphony, Henrik Otto Donner’s Symphony No. 1, Kari Rydman’s «Symphony of Modern Worlds», Alfred Schnittke’s Symphony No. 1, polystylistics.
For citation
Koposova I. Modern antisymphonies as an example of polemic with a traditional genre // South-Russian Musical Anthology. 2023. No. 2. Pp. 5-11.
