The Symphony No. 21, Opus 152, subtitled Kaddish, was composed by Mieczysław Weinberg in 1991. It was the last full-orchestral symphony that Weinberg completed (he died in 1996, leaving his 22nd symphony unorchestrated).[1][2] The work is dedicated to the Warsaw Ghetto's Holocaust victims.[3]
The symphony is a single-movement work in six sections:
- Largo: this section quotes from Chopin's Ballade No. 1.[4]
- Allegro molto
- Largo
- Presto
- Andantino
- Lento: this section introduces a soprano singing a wordless requiem.[4]
The symphony is scored for the following forces: 3 flutes, 3 oboes, 3 clarinets, 2 saxophones, 3 bassoons, 6 horns, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, tuba, timpani, 3 percussionists, harp, piano (doubling celesta), harmonium, soprano singer and strings. [5]
The symphony was first recorded in 2014, by the Siberian Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Dmitry Vasilyev) on the Toccata Classics label.[3] The Symphony has also been recorded in 2019 by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Kremerata Baltica conducted by Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla on Deutsche Grammophon.
References
[edit]- ^ "Weinberg: Symphony No. 21, Op. 152, Kaddish". Presto Classical. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- ^ Whitehouse, Richard (March 2016). "Mieczysław Weinberg – Symphony No.22 & Six Ballet Scenes [Siberian Symphony Orchestra/Dmitry Vasilyev; Toccata Classics]". Classical Source. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- ^ a b Norris, Geoffrey. "Weinberg Symphony No 21 (review)". Gramophone Magazine. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- ^ a b Cookson, Michael. "Review: Recording of the Month". MusicWeb International. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- ^ "WORKS".