Richard Strauss Metamorphosen / Arvo Pärt Symphonie No 4, "Los Angeles”

Featuring

Jean-Marie Zeitouni
I Musici de Montreal
Richard Strauss
Arvo Pärt

Did you know?

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Cultural Impact

Arvo Pärt's Symphony No. 4, 'Los Angeles,' is dedicated to Mikhaïl Khodorkovsky, a Russian oil magnate imprisoned by President Putin, and is intended as an expression of respect for human dignity and the triumph of the spirit amidst tragedy.

Historical Context

Richard Strauss's Metamorphosen is often interpreted as a lament for the destruction of German opera houses and the Goethe house between 1943 and 1945, a period that left the composer heartbroken.

Compositional Technique

Arvo Pärt's Symphony No. 4 is written in his signature 'tintinnabulli' style, characterized by the use of very few elements, often just one or two voices, building from primitive materials like a triad, whose three notes are likened to bells.

Performer Biography

I Musici de Montréal, founded in 1983 by Yuli Turovsky, is a chamber orchestra of 15 musicians known for its varied repertoire, international tours, and 40 high-quality recordings.

Composition History

Richard Strauss's Metamorphosen was initially conceived as a 'warm-up exercise' in 1944, not intended for concert performance, but later developed into a full work after a commission from Paul Sacher and his Collegium Musicum Zürich.

Recording & Production

This album's two works were recorded several months apart, just before and near the end of the global pandemic's confinement, with Metamorphosen specifically recorded under social distancing rules, giving them a special resonance.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Arvo Pärt's Symphony No. 4, 'Los Angeles,' was inspired by an ancient Church Slavonic prayer to a guardian angel, with the text influencing not only the mood but also the melodic material of the work.