Symphony in E-flat (Stravinsky)

History#

The score bears the dedication “To my dear teacher N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov”. A private performance was given on 27 April 1907 by the St. Petersburg Court Orchestra conducted by H. Wahrlich, in a concert that also included the first performance of Faun and Shepherdess. Stravinsky later recalled that both Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov considered the orchestration “too heavy”. The first public performance was conducted by Felix Blumenfeld on 22 January 1908. A revised version was conducted by Ernest Ansermet on 2 April 1914, and the composer conducted this version in his later performances.

Instrumentation#

The symphony is scored for 3 flutes (3rd doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, 3 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion and strings.

I. Allegro moderato#

The first movement is in sonata form.

II. Scherzo#

This movement was sometimes played alone at performances of the Ballets Russes. Stravinsky incorporated into it a Russian folk song similar to one he used in Petrushka.

III. Largo#

The longest movement of the symphony, lasting almost fifteen minutes.

IV. Finale#

The finale is a rondo. As in the second movement, Stravinsky includes a popular song (“Tchitcher-Yatcher”). He used it again in his Trois petites chansons of 1913.

Discography#

• Stravinsky’s recording of this symphony in his collected works on Sony Classical was recorded by the Columbia Symphony Orchestra in May 1966.