Symphony No. 1 (Lyatoshynsky)

Symphony
No. 1
by Borys Lyatoshynsky
KeyA major
Opus2
Composed1918 (1918)/19
Movements3
Premiere
Date1919 (1919)
LocationKyiv
ConductorReinhold Glière

Symphony No. 1 in A major, Op. 2, is a symphony by Borys Lyatoshynsky, written during 1918 and 1919.[1]

It has been suggested by the music writer Gregor Tassie that his First Symphony (1918–1919),[2] is the earliest symphony to be composed in Ukraine after Maxim Berezovsky.[3] More tuneful and Scriabinesque in comparison with his four other symphonies,[4] it was written as his graduation composition at a time when he had become influenced by the music of Scrabin and Richard Wagner. It was conducted in 1919 by Lyatoshynsky's teacher, the composer Reinhold Glière.[5]

The symphony is described in the 1999 edition of The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs as "a well-crafted, confident score" that "abounds in contrapuntal elaboration and abundant orchestral rhetoric".[6] A similar vision of the war to Nikolai Myaskovsky's Symphony No. 5 was expressed in the symphony. The reflective second movement is redeemed by a finale that is, according to the music historian Ferrucio Tammaro, "not only dynamic, but even heroic, in close conformity with the tastes of emerging Soviet symphonism".[7]

Movements

The symphony is written for an orchestra consisting of 3 flutes (3rd also piccolo), 2 oboes, English horn, 3 clarinets (A) (3rd also bass clarinet (B♭)), 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns (F), 3 trumpets (B♭), 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, triangle, cymbals, tam-tam, glockenspiel, harp, and strings.[1]

There are three movements:

  1. Allegro non troppo un poco agitato
  2. Molto lento
  3. Allegro energico

References

  1. ^ a b "Symphony No.1, Op.2 (Lyatoshinsky, Boris)". IMSLP. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  2. ^ Dytyniak 1986, p. 93.
  3. ^ Tassie, Gregor (2 April 2022). "Gregor Tassie celebrates the significant contribution to classical music of Ukrainians". Seen and Heard International. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  4. ^ Cummings, Robert (2014). "Boris Lyatoshynsky: Symphonies". Classical Net Review. Classical Net. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  5. ^ Rozhok, Volodymyr. "Boris Ltatoshynsky (1895–1968): Symphony No. 1, Opus 2" (PDF). Chandos. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  6. ^ Greenfield, March & Layton 1999, p. 802.
  7. ^ Tammaro 2017, p. 39.

Sources