Alfred Schnittke

Part of the 20th Century Composers series.

The biography of the Russian composer Alfred Schnittke (b.1934) presents a fascinating portrait of a man whose musical output is inextricably linked to the strictures of life in the former Soviet Union.

Sixtieth-birthday celebrations in 1994 left no doubt as to the stature of this prolific composer, both in his own country and abroad. Born in Volga German republic of the USSR, Schnittke enjoyed early formative musical experiences in 1940s Vienna. For most of his adult life in Russia, however, his music was powerfully shaped by the frustrations of the Soviet period and he reacted strongly against the ideology of the era. After his controversially dissonant oratorio, "Nagasaki" (1958), he was attacked for writing music with "bourgeois" and "formalistic" tendencies. But despite official disapproval, his music, particularly from the First Symphony (1969-72) onwards, achieved immense popularity in Russia and later abroad. Schnittke is also one of the country's foremost film music composers, having worked for Mosfilm studios in the 1970s and 80s. His symphonies lie arguably at the end of the Germanic symphonic tradition, yet each represents a new concept of the genre for the twentieth century. His works are strongly original but also reveal the influence of Shostakovich among others; however, each of his compositions can be understood primarily to offer a unique synthesis of many different influences and styles.

The author gives a detailed discussion of Schnittke's music and theories, arguing that the various stylistic elements in his works - his polystylism - may be perceived as part of a new, more universal language.

Includes black-and-white illustrations.