Symphony No. 6 by Vincent Persichetti, otherwise known as the Persichetti Symphony, is one challenging piece of music. By that, I mean it is equally as challenging to perform, as it is to listen to. It has a large degree of atonality and dissonance, which characterizes modern compositions. Dissonance is nothing new; however, the Persichetti Symphony takes it to a whole new level.
It is composed of four movements, each with its own character.
1st movement – It begins with a haunting French horn solo. As the French horn plays, the tubas creep in to add dissonance. The most unsettling thing about the introduction to the first movement is the percussion. Their frantic and seemingly random hits confuse the listener and undefine what the melody is doing, which makes chord progressions never seem final. After the slow intro, the first movement goes into a fast-paced section. There is always a sense of rushed movement. The notes dance in rhythms that are offbeat. The listener can never tell where the ends of phrases are. There is the occasional sensible chord, but it only adds to the chromatic madness when it is suddenly left. A sustained atonal chord in the flutes creates a very strange base for the brass to play on top of. There is a constant buildup throughout the movement, and even the ending only gives a slight sense of relaxation.
2nd movement – This is the bittersweet movement. The dynamic is soft, and the chords are not as dissonant as the first movement. It is still chromaticism, since the chord progression switches from one minor to another. However, it sounds more sensible and phrases can be distinguished. This movement gives an overwhelming feeling of regret and sadness, with a touch of happiness. I think it’s best described as bittersweet, or as a ‘sad smile.’
3rd movement – This is almost a march, with the light style and use of the militaristic snare drum. The lightness gives a sense of mellow happiness. Dissonance is still present, but mostly in subtle undertones, and the listener may not immediately notice. The movement goes back and forth from light and staccato to legato. The movement isn’t bold or wildly expressive.
4th movement – Best described as a dissonant playground. There is no such thing as a major chord here. Strange rhythms and almost random dynamics put the listener on a roller coaster. The movement seems to have no beginning or end. The movement seemingly reaches a climax, where, instead of having one clear melody, two melodies overlap. But instead of finishing, it enters a whole new beginning, and then goes into another climax. That is where it abruptly ends. The movement unexpectedly goes back and forth between loud and soft. Very rarely do all the instruments play at one time, and once they do, that is where the piece ends. The ending chord itself is a mixture of three or four keys. The only way to detect finality is in the percussion.
The whole piece is ingenious use of chromaticism, and very different from anything ever written before. The last chord is amazingly satisfying in that is a dissonant mess. There is great and unexpected satisfaction in breaking all kinds of harmonic laws.
Rating: 10 out of 10
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