Antheil anonymously published a prophetic book, The Shape of the War to Come, in 1940, which led to him working as a war correspondent and directly influenced his Symphony No. 4.
Composer Biography
George Antheil, the American composer, began his career with a reputation as an enfant terrible in Europe, composing shockingly avant-garde works like Ballet mécanique.
Composition History
Antheil initially worked on a 'Tragic' Symphony No. 5 as an elegy for his younger brother Henry, who was killed in a plane crash in 1940, but later composed a completely different, 'Joyous' Symphony No. 5.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Antheil, initially known as the 'Bad Boy of Music' for his experimental works, later shifted towards a fundamentally tonal and melody-based style in his concert music after returning to America.
Interpretation
The conductor, John Storgårds, believes that Antheil's 'wrong notes' are an intentional part of his musical language and 'piquancy', reflecting his self-proclaimed title as 'the bad boy of music'.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Antheil regarded his Symphony No. 5 'Joyous' as his final break from 'passé' musical modernism, representing his commitment to memorable melodies, strong tonality, and comprehensible structures.
Critical Reception
Antheil's Symphony No. 4 was a tremendous success with critics and audiences, with Time magazine calling its premiere an 'almost unprecedented' phenomenon for a new American symphony that 'failed to bore its audience'.
