Polish composer Witold Lutosławski wrote his Symphony No. 4 in 1988–92, completing it on 22 August 1992.[1]
Structure
The symphony, lasting 20–25 minutes, is in one continuous movement embodying two sections: a preparatory section and a development section with an epilogue.
Analysis
See Stucky.[1]
Orchestration
3 flutes (3rd flute also taking piccolo), 3 oboes (3rd oboe also taking English horn), 3 clarinets (2nd also taking E♭ clarinet; 3rd clarinet also taking bass clarinet), 3 bassoons (3rd also on contrabassoon), 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion (bass drum, bongos, chimes, glockenspiel, marimba, snare drum, suspended cymbals, tam-tam, tenor drum, tom-toms, vibraphone, xylophone), 2 harps, piano, celesta, and strings.[1]
World Premiere
The symphony received its world premiere on February 5, 1993 from the Los Angeles Philharmonic, with the composer conducting, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. It was commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic with the support of Betty Freeman.[1]
Recordings
| Orchestra | Conductor | Record Company | Year of Recording | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra | Witold Lutosławski | Polskie Nagrania Muza | 1993 | CD |
| Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra | Esa-Pekka Salonen | Sony Records | 1993 | CD |
| Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra | Antoni Wit | Naxos Records | 1994 | CD |
| Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra | Esa-Pekka Salonen | Deutsche Grammophon | 2006 | Digital Download |
| Silesian Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra | Mirosław Jacek Błaszczyk | Dux Records | 2004 | CD |
| Saar Radio Symphony Orchestra | Roman Kofman | CPO | 1995 | CD |
| Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra | Hannu Lintu | Ondine | 2018 | SACD |
References
- Notes
- Sources
Stucky, Steven (1993). "About the Piece: Symphony No. 4". Los Angeles Philharmonic. Archived from the original on 2007-12-03. Retrieved 2009-01-12.