Stele (Kurtág)

Stele
	by György Kurtág
	György Kurtág in 2002
Native name	ΣΤΉΛΗ
Opus	Op. 33
Genre	Contemporary music
Composed	1993–1994
Dedication	Claudio Abbado; Berlin Philharmonic;
Published	2003: Budapest
Movements	Three
Scoring	Large orchestra
Premiere
Date	December 14, 1994
Location	Berlin
Conductor	Claudio Abbado
Performers	Berlin Philharmonic

Stele, Op. 33, sometimes also stylised in Greek capitals as ΣΤΉΛΗ (stēlē), is a composition for orchestra by Hungarian composer György Kurtág. It was completed in 1994.

Composition

The composition was first conceived as a work for piano in 1993, which was dedicated to András Mihály. Kurtág completed the orchestral score as a commission of the Berlin Philharmonic in 1994, while he was the composer-in-residence for the orchestra.[1] The piece was premiered in Berlin, on 14 December 1994, by the Berlin Philharmonic under Claudio Abbado, both of these being the dedicatees.[2] It was published later in 2003 by Editio Musica Budapest.[3]

Music

Stele is in three movements and takes up to thirteen minutes to perform.[1] The three movements are untitled and are usually referenced by their tempo. All of the movements are meant to be played attacca. The movements are:

Larghissimo – Adagio
Lamentoso – Disperato, con moto. Nicht zu schnell aber wild, gehetzt, ungeduldig[lower-alpha 1]
Molto sostenuto

The final version of the score also includes a 2006 addition to the ending of the score which changes the last bar of the last movement and adds four more bars, extending the last notes played by the instruments. So far, both endings are accepted, even though the first one is still recorded more frequently.

Instrumentation

The work is scored for a very large orchestra.[3]

Woodwinds: 4 flutes; 1 alto flute; 1 bass flute; 3 oboes; 1 English horn; 4 clarinets in B♭; 1 bass clarinet in B♭; 1 contrabass clarinet in B♭; 3 bassoons; 1 contrabassoon

Brass: 4 French horns; 2 tenor tubas in B♭; 2 bass tubas in F; 4 trumpets in C; 4 trombones; 1 contrabass tuba

Keyboard instruments: 1 cimbalom; 2 harps; 1 celesta; 1 grand piano; 1 upright piano; 1 marimba; 1 vibraphone

Percussion (4 players): 1 triangle (piccolo); 5 cymbals; 1 tam-tam; 2 bongos; 2 log drums; 2 bass drums; 1 snare drum; 1 tambourine; 1 whip; bells (C, F, A♭)

timpani

Strings: 16 violin I; 14 violin II; 14 viola; 12 cellos; 12 double basses

Recordings

In December 1994, the dedicatees Claudio Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic recorded the piece under Deutsche Grammophon. It was recorded at Berlin's Großer Saal of the Philharmonie.[4]
On 26 November 1996, the Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra recorded the piece with Michael Gielen with the RCA. The recording took place in the Konzerthaus Freiburg.[5] This recording was later reissued by Hänssler.[6]

Notes

This Italian/German description roughly translates to "Desperate, in motion. Not too fast but wild, rushed (or "hounded"), impatient".

References

"György Kurtág Stele, for orchestra, Op. 33". allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
Varga, Bálint András (2009). György Kurtág: Three Interviews and Ligeti Homages. Rochester: University Rochester Press. p. 129. ISBN 9781580463287.
Kurtág, György (2003). ΣΤΉΛΗ [Stele] Op. 33. Hungary: Editio Musica Budapest.
"Claudio Abbado / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Stockhausen: Gruppen; Kurtág: Grabstein für Stephan; Stele (CD – DG Deutsche Grammophon #4477612)". allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
"Musik in Deutschland 1950–2000: Sinfonische Musik 1990–2000 Stele, for orchestra, Op. 33". allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
"Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 2 in C minor "The Resurrection" Stele, for orchestra, Op. 33". allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 19 March 2015.

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[4] This Italian/German description roughly translates to "Desperate, in motion. Not too fast but wild, rushed (or "hounded"), impatient".

[Allmusic-1] "György Kurtág Stele, for orchestra, Op. 33". allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 19 March 2015.

[2] Varga, Bálint András (2009). György Kurtág: Three Interviews and Ligeti Homages. Rochester: University Rochester Press. p. 129. ISBN 9781580463287.

[:0-3] Kurtág, György (2003). ΣΤΉΛΗ [Stele] Op. 33. Hungary: Editio Musica Budapest.

[DG-5] "Claudio Abbado / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Stockhausen: Gruppen; Kurtág: Grabstein für Stephan; Stele (CD – DG Deutsche Grammophon #4477612)". allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 19 March 2015.

[RCA-6] "Musik in Deutschland 1950–2000: Sinfonische Musik 1990–2000 Stele, for orchestra, Op. 33". allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 19 March 2015.

[Hannsler-7] "Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 2 in C minor "The Resurrection" Stele, for orchestra, Op. 33". allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 19 March 2015.