EDITION WILHELM HANSEN WH33471
Poul Ruders
SYMPHONY NO. 6
for Orchestra
Full Score
Poul Ruders SYMPHONY NO. 6
(2021)
Duration: c. 21 mins
Commissioned by Odense Symphony Orchestra. World premiere at Odense Concert Hall, November 21st 2024. With support from The Danish Arts Council FULL SCORE
Copyright © 2023 Edition Wilhelm Hansen A/S, Copenhagen
Music engraving in Sibelius
Publisher’s editor: Katrine Gregersen Dal
Edition Wilhelm Hansen, A/S Copenhagen Bornholmsgade 1A 1266 København K Denmark
www.wisemusicclassical.com
INSTRUMENTATION
2 Flutes (2nd fl. dbl pic.)
2 Oboes (2nd oboe dbl. c.a.)
2 Clarinet in Bb
2 Bassoon
4 Horn in F
2 Trumpet in Bb
2 Trombone
Tuba
Percussion 1 - Bass dr., Antique Cym., Tbells, Reco-Reco (metal Guiro)
Percussion 2 - Two low Gamelian Gongs (C2 and Db2/Tam-Tam/Tuned Gongs (Paiste), chromatic set ascending from C4 to C5/ “Glockenspiel”
Harp
2 Piano (Pno 1 dbl. Celesta, Pno 2 Honky-Tonk acoustic or digital)
Strings 16/14/12/10/8
Score is transposed
All accidentals apply to each single note only, except for tie–overs. Naturals all courtesy.
My Symphony No 6 differs significantly in shape and character from its five predecessors, and deliberately so. The world isn't exactly wanting for symphonies, so the least I can do is to make sure that there's something quite different in the offing, from piece to piece.
To begin with, No 6 is the shortest of the series, with its modest duration of only 20-22 minutes. Being in one movement only, it does share a common denominator with one of the other symphonies, No 2. But that's it. The new symphony is far more restrained, almost "hugging itself', and in that way paying homage to the Greek origin of the word, Symphonos, i.e. "concordant in sound". The music doesn't portray anything spiritually, such as my first Symphony "Himmelhoch Jauchzend -zum Tode Betriibt", but the opening motto reads: "Solemnly striding", which should give a hint of what's in store for the listener.
The orchestration is conventional enough, except for the percussion section, which- although quite limited in number of instrumentsemploys several types of Oriental gongs, and there're no less than 2 pianos on the go, the second a so-called Honky-Tonk piano, where only one string belonging to the set of two or three equally tuned strings per piano key and hit by the same felt-hammer to produce the sound we all know, has been tuned a quarter tone "off", which lends a most refreshing tartness to the overall sound. The word Honky-Tonk makes you think of an out-of-tune saloon piano from a Wild West movie scene, but a meticulously "off-tuned" piano is a most delicate and refined instrument indeed- and the sound conjuresup wonders in concert, literally so, with the other instruments. In the present case almost entirely together with the low brass, cellos and basses.
Poul Ruders
SYMPHONYNO.6
