Schnebel, Dieter: Sinfonie X

Premiered in 1992 at Donaueschingen, the ‘Sinfonie X’ with more than 2 hours duration could be considered an ‘Opus terminum’. The movements which can be performed individually are like an historical digest in homage to composers of the 20th century. The piano concerto movement ‘Hymnus’ for example obviously refers to Oliver Messiaen. But ‘Sinfonie X’ is far more than just the sum of its parts, the vast scope of the symphony as generic form can be felt in the musique concrete of the ‘Stille’ sections and in some of the other movements, it’s like the design for an Utopia, for a new ‘Song of the Earth’.