Witold Lutoslawski

 

 

Farewell To The Orchestra

in "Symphony No. 2 by Witold Lutoslawski" Wikipedia

 
Concerning the use of instruments in contemporary pieces, Lutoslawski had many opinions. He believed that present day instruments were dated and left little to no room for evolution in composition. He stated that although the instruments in the orchestra can play non-diatonic music, they are not designed for it, and to do so requires greater effort. In a similar sense, the string instruments can play music that does not fit in the twelve-tone scale system, but to accomplish that, a new system of playing would have to emerge. Lutoslawski also commented on modified symphony instruments and extended technique, saying that altering the use of these "great works of art" is "unnatural" and "jarring".[48] Symphony No. 2 shows his reverence of classical instruments, with little to no use of the instruments outside of the realm of their "natural" performance techniques, but also begins to foreshadow his travels away from the relic we call orchestra[original research?] (although he composed two more symphonies after this one). Beginning as far back as the Three Postludes (1959-1964), he began designating pieces "farewell to the orchestra".[8]
 
       
                                                            
           
Return to: 72note.com
     
Revised: May 19, 2013
email comments to: belvedere7@verizon.net