Overview

The Routledge Handbook to the Music of Alfred Schnittke is a comprehensive study of the work of one of the most important Russian composers of the late 20th century. Each piece is discussed in detail, with particular attention to the composer’s groundbreaking polystylism, as well as his unique approach to musical symbolism and his deep engagement with Christian themes. This is the first publication to look at Schnittke’s output in its entirety, and for most works it represents either the first ever published analysis or the first in a language other than Russian. The volume presents new research from the Ivashkin-Schnittke Archive at Goldsmiths, University of London and the collection of Schnittke’s compositional sketches at the Julliard Library in New York. It also draws on the substantial research on Schnittke’s music published in the Russian language. Including a work list and bibliography of primary and secondary sources, this is an essential reference for all those interested in Russian music, 20th-century music and performance studies.

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Reviews

‘Dixon has established himself as an authoritative guide to Schnittke’s output…The handbook synthesizes available sources, compiling and collating material from the dominant interpretative studies in Russian, German, and English…When combined with the evidence from Schnittke’s sketches—illuminated in the handbook with selected facsimiles and transcriptions—Dixon affords informed insight into Schnittke’s compositional workshop…there is so much that is indispensable in this volume; I am going to refer to the handbook frequently in my own research, and I will point my students toward it as well.’ Peter J. Schmelz, in Notes, Volume 79, Number 3, March 2023 ‘In this Routledge Handbook, [Dixon] has written the first comprehensive guide to all of Schnittke’s compositions in English. Dixon compiles much of the extant information on Schnittke’s music, including the significant untranslated Russian-language scholarship. Dixon’s own contributions are vital, contextualising and synthesising the work of others as well as presenting original analyses…This book is a significant contribution to the newly burgeoning English-language Schnittke literature. It is an invaluable reference source for both its consolidation of existing research and for Dixon’s original work.’ Nathan Friedman, in Tempo 77 (303) 2023

Author Information

Gavin Dixon is a writer and editor specialising in classical music. He is Editor of Schnittke Studies (Routledge 2017) and Music Editor of Fanfare, America’s leading classical review magazine.

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