A symphony is a stage play with the parts written for instruments instead of for actors.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
The symphonies are the things that, as a soloist, I've not gotten to play. I used to travel the world playing concertos, and then I would sit and listen to the symphony.
You can't play a symphony alone, it takes an orchestra to play it.
But a large symphony orchestra basically is a repertory company and it has a very enormous repertoire and it is important for the performers to be able to know how to shift focus so that they instantly become part of the sound world that a particular repertoire demands.
Writing a play, you start with less, so more is demanded of you. It's as if you have to not only write a symphony, but invent the instruments as well.
The first reason for starting to do the symphony concerts was to play this new piece of mine.
To me, the piano in itself is an orchestra.
Mozart has written opera, symphony, sacred and chamber music - not to mention his piano and violin concerti.
A Beethoven symphony should be rehearsed like chamber music, only for a lot more people.
A symphony must be like the world. It must contain everything.
A symphony is no joke.