Symphony n° 6

Composed in
2000

For
Orchestra and Live-electronics

Duration
21’30

First performance
March 30, 2000 at the Theatre Saint-Michel in Brussels (B). Belgian National Orchestra, conducted by Arturo TAMAYO.

Commissioned by
The Palais des Beaux-Arts for Brussels 2000

Dedicated to
Jonathan Harvey

Publisher
Donemus

Luc Brewaeys on Symphony n°6:

What makes this work unique compared to my earlier compositions is that, this time, I ventured into writing without a predetermined plan, in a linear way — just to see… to see where the music itself would lead me. Normally — even when I don’t make drafts and write straight into the final score — I define the sections, the durations, and the content with great precision. What interested me here was not, of course, to write "whatever", but rather to place myself, to position my writing in relation to my compositional experience, my baggage, and my accumulated knowledge. Somehow, all of this radiates from the piece, and in a — shall we say — unconscious way, structures and sometimes very coherent formal divisions found their way into the work, in such a successful manner that it still retains its own form.

The orchestra is classical in instrumentation, but the seating arrangement is unusual, especially for the strings. I placed the violas at the front, where the first violins usually sit. The first violins were moved to the usual position of the second violins, and the second violins I placed in a single row at the very back of the stage, which creates a “lontano” (distant) effect in the orchestration. The harp, piano, and synthesizer now occupy the original position of the violas; the woodwinds and brass remained in their usual places; the percussion section, which is less extensive than I usually employ, is positioned to the left and right of the orchestra, rather than behind it.

Thanks to this setup, and to the writing that follows from the decision to give the violas a primary role, the orchestra acquires a warmer colour, and the sound projects further.

The electronics I use here are similar to those in my Fifth Symphony, but more limited. I use a reverberation effect, which can be made infinite by continuously adding new musical material. Unlike the reverb — which spans the entire orchestra — the ring modulator, which I also use (though moderately), is restricted to the group of piano, harp, and synthesizer. The synthesizer is employed for a few very specific sounds (such as glockenspiel, a tone that leans toward a cymbal, and harpsichord colours in the contrapuntal section). I also use a mixer and four loudspeakers — two in the hall and two on stage. These electronic effects are used in a very discreet manner, rarely on their own, somewhat in the spirit of Jonathan Harvey, to whom the piece is, incidentally, dedicated.

This dedication to Harvey is not merely symbolic: among the fleeting and more explicit quotations present in the piece, three are directly connected to him. The subtle yet lyrical use of electronics creates an effect that recalls his music, as do the “suspended” unisons, such as those between the English horn, clarinet, and horn, written in quarter-tones. That said, the framework and content naturally arise from my own writing, from my style. But compared to my previous works, this piece strikes me as more melodic, more lyrical, and more contrapuntal — which is something new for me. There are a few fast and highly intense passages, such as at the end of the introduction or just before the final coda, but essentially, the work unfolds as one large, continuous movement.

© Interview recorded by Tarquin Billiet

Listen to Luc about this symphony (in Dutch):