Symphonie in C

Igor Stravinsky is no composer who is normally associated with the symphonic form. Yet five of his compositions bear this name, although they have little in common with each other. The Symphony in Three Movements, the first major work Stravinsky composed entirely in the United States, seems to pick up where The Rite of Spring left off with its rhythmic ostinati and shock effects. It can be interpreted as the composer's reaction to World War II, which devastated Europe at the time of composition, and the impressive and triumphant finale seems to reflect what the composer must have felt. The Symphonies of Wind Instruments, a short, compact work, were a tribute to Stravinsky's friend and colleague Claude Debussy. Although the kaleidoscopic formal conception confused the audience at the premiere, it is now considered one of Stravinsky's finest works and testifies to bold originality. The Symphony in C was composed on two continents during a difficult time for the composer, but its simplicity, humor and "classicism" make this in no way apparent. With this CD, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia and Dima Slobodeniouk present a fascinating aspect of the versatile oeuvre of a composer whose style was constantly evolving.