by Anton Wachmann
In 1942, two years after completing the Symphony in C, Stravinsky began on a commission from the New York Philharmonic. Work progressed fitfully, with the composer changing his mind many times about the shape the work would take, with the only certainty (then) being that it would include a concertante part for solo piano. What ultimately evolved into the Symphony in Three Movements was not completed until 1945, during the final days of World War II, under the influence, as the composer wrote, “of our arduous time of sharp and shifting events, of despair and hope, of continual torments, of tension and, at last, cessation and relief…”
Stravinsky, who rarely acknowledged outside inspirations for his music, referred to the composition as his ‘war symphony’. He claimed the symphony as a direct response to events of the Second World War in both Europe and Asia. The first movement was inspired by a documentary on Japanese scorched earth tactics in China. The third movement deals with footage of German soldiers goosestepping and the allied forces’ mounting success.
http://www.laphil.com/philpedia/music/symphony-three-movements-igor-stravinsky
This piece, is beautiful, ugly, soothing, jagged; pure genius. Its first movement, with its almost cacophonous melodies, and its chord structures bring you to the edge of yours seat, with energy and excitement. Knowing his work “The Rite of Spring” I can definitely tell some similarities between the chord composition in the first Mvt. of his Symphony in three Movements and of the chord composition in “The Rite of Spring”. He also added an instrument to his piece that quantifies its depth os sound. He added a piano, and it works very well adding its unique percussive sound to the piece. I was driving my car at night, heading home from a cello lesson, and then this came on the radio in my car. Embarrassingly enough I came to the point of almost driving off the road since I had directed so much of my attention into listening to that first movement; I had to turn it off, but when I got home I looked up the piece and listened to it over and over taking in every sound and every silence. I haven’t gotten to the other movements yet but I hope to listen intently soon.
Here's a recording, Listen!!!!!
In 1942, two years after completing the Symphony in C, Stravinsky began on a commission from the New York Philharmonic. Work progressed fitfully, with the composer changing his mind many times about the shape the work would take, with the only certainty (then) being that it would include a concertante part for solo piano. What ultimately evolved into the Symphony in Three Movements was not completed until 1945, during the final days of World War II, under the influence, as the composer wrote, “of our arduous time of sharp and shifting events, of despair and hope, of continual torments, of tension and, at last, cessation and relief…”
Stravinsky, who rarely acknowledged outside inspirations for his music, referred to the composition as his ‘war symphony’. He claimed the symphony as a direct response to events of the Second World War in both Europe and Asia. The first movement was inspired by a documentary on Japanese scorched earth tactics in China. The third movement deals with footage of German soldiers goosestepping and the allied forces’ mounting success.
http://www.laphil.com/philpedia/music/symphony-three-movements-igor-stravinsky
This piece, is beautiful, ugly, soothing, jagged; pure genius. Its first movement, with its almost cacophonous melodies, and its chord structures bring you to the edge of yours seat, with energy and excitement. Knowing his work “The Rite of Spring” I can definitely tell some similarities between the chord composition in the first Mvt. of his Symphony in three Movements and of the chord composition in “The Rite of Spring”. He also added an instrument to his piece that quantifies its depth os sound. He added a piano, and it works very well adding its unique percussive sound to the piece. I was driving my car at night, heading home from a cello lesson, and then this came on the radio in my car. Embarrassingly enough I came to the point of almost driving off the road since I had directed so much of my attention into listening to that first movement; I had to turn it off, but when I got home I looked up the piece and listened to it over and over taking in every sound and every silence. I haven’t gotten to the other movements yet but I hope to listen intently soon.
Here's a recording, Listen!!!!!