Composer

:

Alfred Schnittke

Genre

:

Chamber

Style

:

Chamber Music

Compose Date

:

1988

Average_duration

:

4:56

Sounding Letters is a composition for mixed choir and orchestra, composed by Alfred Schnittke in 1988. The piece was premiered on October 15, 1988, in Moscow, by the USSR State Symphony Orchestra and the USSR State Chamber Choir, conducted by Gennady Rozhdestvensky. The composition consists of three movements, each of which is based on a different text. The first movement, "The Lord's Prayer," is a setting of the traditional Christian prayer. The second movement, "The Creed," is a setting of the Nicene Creed, a statement of Christian belief. The third movement, "The Beatitudes," is a setting of the Beatitudes, a series of blessings from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Sounding Letters is characterized by Schnittke's use of polyphony and his incorporation of various musical styles and techniques. The piece begins with a slow, meditative introduction, which gradually builds in intensity as the choir and orchestra enter. The first movement features a complex interplay between the choir and orchestra, with the choir singing the prayer in a traditional, chant-like style, while the orchestra provides a rich, harmonious accompaniment. The second movement is more dramatic, with the choir and orchestra alternating between sections of intense, dissonant music and more subdued, contemplative passages. The third movement is perhaps the most striking, with Schnittke using a variety of vocal techniques, including whispering, shouting, and singing in unison, to create a sense of urgency and intensity. Overall, Sounding Letters is a powerful and moving work, which showcases Schnittke's mastery of both choral and orchestral composition. Its use of traditional religious texts, combined with Schnittke's innovative musical language, makes it a unique and compelling addition to the choral repertoire.

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