''A Symphony of Three Orchestras'' is an orchestra composition by the American composer Elliott Carter. The work was commissioned by the New York Philharmonic through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. It was composed from June through December 1976 and was first performed in New York City on February 17, 1977 by the New York Philharmonic under the conductor Pierre Boulez. The composition is dedicated to Boulez and the New York Philharmonic.

Composition

''A Symphony of Three Orchestras'' has a duration of roughly 17 minutes and is composed in a single Movement (music), movement. The work was inspired by the beginning of Hart Crane's poem ''The Bridge (long poem), The Bridge'' as it describes New York Harbor and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Instrumentation

The work is scored for a large orchestra divided into three ensembles. The first ensemble comprises three French horn, horns, three trumpets, two trombones, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, and String section, strings (7-8 desks of violins, 3-4 desks of violas, 2-3 desks of cellos, and 1-2 desks of Double bass, basses). The second ensemble comprises two clarinets (doubling bass clarinet), E-flat clarinet, 2 percussionists (playing vibraphone, chimes, xylophone, marimba, long drum or Tabor (instrument), tabor, and floor tom), piano and strings (2 desks of violins, 2-3 desks of cellos, and one desk of basses). The third ensemble comprises two Western concert flute, flutes, piccolo, two oboes, cor anglais, two bassoons, contrabassoon, two horns, one percussionist (playing anvil, bell tree, 2 suspended cymbals, 2 snare drums, tambourine and 2 tam-tams), and strings (7-8 desks of violins, 3-4 desks of violas, and 1-2 desks of basses).

Reception

The composition has been praised by musicians and critics alike. The cellist Fred Sherry (who performed the first recording of Carter's Cello Concerto (Carter), Cello Concerto) described ''A Symphony of Three Orchestras'' as one of three Carter pieces he would "recommend to every music lover," including his Concerto for Orchestra (Carter), Concerto for Orchestra and ''Symphonia: sum fluxae pretium spei''. The music critic Tim Page (music critic), Tim Page of ''The Washington Post'' wrote, "It makes its strongest impression in concert, where one may listen to each ensemble playing its own allotted music, then combining with the other ensembles to create a cumulative whole."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Symphony of Three Orchestras, A Compositions by Elliott Carter 1976 compositions 20th-century symphonies Music commissioned by the New York Philharmonic Music dedicated to ensembles or performers