Igor Stravinsky Symphonies of Wind Instruments
Ryan Bancroft conducts ritualistic music written in memory of Debussy.
About the video
- Filmed 11 January 2024.
- The video is approximately 11 minutes.
The title Symphonies of Wind Instruments does not refer to a symphony in the traditional sense, but to wind instruments sounding together in different groups and combinations. The music is austere and stark, yet also possesses a deeply reverent quality.
The work had its origins in the death of Claude Debussy. When Stravinsky was asked in 1920 to contribute to a commemorative issue dedicated to the French composer, he wrote a short chorale for wind instruments. It became the starting point for Symphonies of Wind Instruments and returns at the end of the work as solemn music of remembrance.
Stravinsky described the music as ‘an austere ritual’ of short litanies between different groups of instruments. Instead of a traditional symphonic progression, we encounter clearly defined sections, almost like calls and responses. This interplay and the recurring figures give the music its distinctive ritual character, leading to the final chorale for Debussy – still, austere and monumental.
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The music
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Igor Stravinsky Symphonies of Wind Instruments
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Participants
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Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
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Ryan Bancroft conductor
