NOSPR / Alsop / Kern / The Fifth: The Symphony of Symphonies - NOSPR

This symphony lies in the very centre of our musical universe. It is a legend, a myth, and a masterpiece. Some of us believe its four-note motif symbolises the emanation of fate, others feel it represents a metaphysical knock at the door of human existence or perceive the symphony on a purely aesthetic level. Whatever the experience, we always await it with impatience, knowing that what follows will be nothing less than participation in a sonic rite. Many an attempt has been undertaken to explain why Beethoven’s Symphony in C minor continues to resonate so deeply, yet there is little doubt that the work’s power lies in the monolithic clarity bestowed upon it by the unifying motif that binds all its movements. In today’s world of post-truth, post-politics and post-fact, perhaps more than ever, we are in need of the magnificent univocity that Aquinas describes and Beethoven offers.

Anton Schindler, Beethoven’s biographer, described Symphony No 5 in C minor, Op 67 as an expression of struggle against adversity, which is reflected in the composer’s own words: ‘Schwerer das Schicksal bei der Kehle; es soll mich nicht beugen und zermalmen’ (‘I shall seize fate by the throat; it shall not bend or crush me’*). The echo of a struggle with tragic fate also resounds in a contemporary work Go where the wind takes you, composed by Iryna Aleksiychuk and – as the subtitle informs – ‘basedon the poetry of Olena Stepanenko’, a Ukrainian poet who, along with her son, survived the devastation of Bucha by the Russian army. Aleksiychuk ties words and music tightly together in an emotional and formal symbiosis by employing a poetic declamation as an integral component of her composition’s dramatic narrative. The work is dedicated to Ukrainian women who, ‘despite all the horrors of the war against Ukraine, do not lose their Courage, Hope and Faith in our Victory’**. It stands as a manifesto of solidarity and consolation in the face of the tragedy of war. Rarely does a contemporary context offer such resonance with Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. The composition was commissioned by Classical Movements for the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship as part of the Eric Daniel Helms New Music Program in 2023.

Grieg’s Concerto has become an inimitable symbol of the national romantic trend in composition. Although it is not directly related to any programme content, it carries a clear message about national identity. The third movement in particular draws inspiration from Norwegian folk dances, most notably the halling, in much the same way that Aleksiychuk’s composition turns to Ukrainian poetry as its source of inspiration. Yet Grieg applies the principles of thematic development characteristic of symphonies to the form of a concerto, and binds the entire structure with a unifying four-note motif: A-A-G sharp-E.

Andrzej Sułek

* Beethoven’s letter to Franz Wegeler of November 1801, cited in English after Lewis Lookwood, Beethoven’s Symphonies. An Artistic Vision, 2015, p. 86.

**Iryna Aleksiychuk, ‘Video of the World premiere of my work Go where the wind takes you… for symphony orchestra’  (accessed on 10th July 2025): https://www.iryna-aleksiychuk-composer.com/blank/video-of-the-world-premiere-of-my-work-go-where-the-wind-takes-you-for-symphony-orchestra

Concert duration (intermission included): approximately 100 minutes

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