SYMPHONY NO. 8 | MALEK JANDALI
“Symphony No. 8 is the most untraditional symphony of all I have composed,” says Jandali. “First of all, it is for just eleven players, and second, it features a lot of genre intersections. It is a symphony-concerto-suite at the same time, comprised of five movements.” Composed in 2022, Symphony No. 8 is scored for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, piano, two violins, viola, cello, and bass. The ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Marin Alsop, made the world-premiere recording on January 25 and 27, 2023, at the RadioKulturhaus in Vienna, Austria.
The realm of chamber symphonies or chamber concertos often encompasses genre-bending works—think Schoenberg’s two Chamber Concertos, Zwilich’s Chamber Concerto, and Berg’s Chamber Concerto—calling for anywhere between six and dozens of players of widely different configurations. And yet Jandali uses simply “symphony” because the scope of his ideas seems too large for the connotation of a chamber work. Right from the outset of the first movement, with its powerful upward-surging motives through the climactic writing in the fifth movement—notable contrasts notwithstanding—Symphony No. 8 shouts “concert hall” rather than “chamber.”
The title of the first movement, Overture, suggests neither a symphony nor a concerto, but a suite, though it quickly moves into the concerto realm when the piano and then solo violin take the spotlight. An oboe solo provides calm before the grand symphonic close based on the main theme now magnified.
The Andante—which like the second theme in Jandali’s Fifth Symphony (see above) integrates a motive from “Esqi al etash” (Quench the thirsty)—begins in a hesitant hush that sets up the expressive flute solo. Taken up by others, the melody rises to a peak and a portentous silence before giving way to the theme’s grand symphonic presentation and a masterful, chamber-like dissolution. Select passages suggest a kinship with Stravinsky’s renowned theatrical Histoire du soldat—famously not a symphonic work but scored for a septet of solo players.
The third movement presents motoric contrast, its insistent rhythmic motives admitting themes based on two waslas (instrumental pieces) of the same anonymous Andalusian muwashshahat (strophic poetic-musical form). The first is “Namma dam’ei” (Tears exposed me) and the second, “Ahwa al ghazal alrabrabi” (I love the lord’s deer). The final fragmenting of the rhythmic pattern makes a satisfying conclusion.
The fourth movement suggests a slow-moving dance or procession with its slowly unfolding rhythmic patterns over which various melodies unwind expressively. Here Jandali integrates an old bashraf by Othman Baik (dates?).
Despite the parameters dictated by the scoring for eleven instruments, the Finale takes on symphonic grandeur. Jandali accomplishes this by contrasting solo passages with full ensemble passages in the manner of a concerto grosso, given that many solo instruments participate. But more specifically, each instrument is treated to the doubly active role of distinctive solo as well as ensemble music-making, with different timbres constantly coming to the fore. Along the way, Jandali integrates a Samā’I Hijaz by Abdul Rahman Jabakji (dates?). Dramatic pauses in the conclusing measures lend weight to the final chord.
Instrumentation: fl ob cl fag cor piano violin1 violin2 viola vc cb
Duration: 22 minutes
Symphony 7 is the most untraditional symphony of all I composed. First of all it is just for 11 players and it has a lot of genre intersections. It is a symphony-concerto-suite at the same time in Five movements:
I. Allegro energico
II. Andante Theme 115
III. Presto Theme 56
IV. Moderato Theme 48
V. Vivace Theme 64
The power big orchestra gives is unreachable with such small number of instruments, so I decided to sharpen the timbres in chamber way, alternating it with tutti parts. It has 5 movements, those are 5 self-sufficient different character contrast pieces, a parts of the circle and a suite in the different proportions. It is more a game than a confession. Game is the widest way to understand. With harmony, rhythm, timbre and structure. At the same time it has Syrian motives as the main vocabulary.