Album Notes

Alfred Schnittke's fourth Symphony was written in 1983. The outward reason for its creation was a commission from the French Chamber Orchestra of Champigny under Paul Mefano. The inner causes which define the character of this composition lie in the author's spiritual world, his artistic, moral and philosophical credo ensuing from his previous creative development.
"In my work I strive to find the general in the dissimilar." said Schnittke in an interview after the premiere of the Fourth Symphony. "In my Symphony I set myself a task of uniting various cultural layers. I decided to stylize the ritual music of three religions: Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant. To realize my concept I chose three intonation systems typical of ritual music of these religions." Conceived as a musical drama symbolizing mankind's spiritual unity, the fourth Symphony reveals a new cohesion of the composer's artistic world.


A. Schnittke
(b. 1934)

Total Time - 46:12

The USSR Ministry of Culture Chamber Choir
Artistic Director - Valeri Polyansky
Nikolai Dumtsev, tenor
Erik Kurmangaliev, countertenor
The USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra
Conductor - Gennadi Rozhdestvensky