Simfonies

In 1985 Albert Argudo, who at the time was conducting the Barcelona Municipal Band, asked me for a piece for wind instruments to be opened by his group. In those days I preferred to write works for soloist instruments, selecting instruments from the symphonic band.
In contrast to other compositions from the same period, I decided not to use extra-musical elements and based myself on a work by Stravinsky, The Symphonies of Wind Instruments.
The instrumental group is very similar to that of Stravinsky’s work and also includes two percussionists with the aim of lending a clear rhythmic aspect. In addition to its almost homonymous relationship with Stravinsky’s work, the title similarly has a distant relationship with works from the Baroque period. The pieces that shared this name were characterised by instrumental virtuosity, short structures and a very varied nature.
Although they are written in a single movement, the Symphonies are divided into three sections, beginning with a Moderato movement, a slow Intermedio featuring solos by the clarinets and bassoons and a final Scherzo.
After the official opening performance in 1987 in the Barcelona Palau de la Música (Music Hall), the work was revised in 2009 to mark a second performance (in 2009), delivered by the soloists of the very same Barcelona Municipal Band.

Jesús Rodríguez Picó