Segments (Symphony No.5)

Movements:
I Allegro. Lento sempre alla jazz
II Allegretto sempre alla jazz
III Larghetto grazioso
IV Larghetto molto espressivo

Published scores:
Leningrad: Sovetskij kompozitor, 1988

Released recordings:
LP Antanas Rekašius. Symphonic music (Lithuanian Soviet Composers Series), Melodiya C10-18593-4, 1983
LP Verra Records 101, 1985

Antanas Rekašius’ Fifth Symphony, subtitled “Segments”, segues from a dissonant, hair-raising, percussion-dominated Introduction to a swing-jazz movement dominated by flute and drums. The third movement features jazz riffs from the brass section and keeps the listener’s fingers and toes moving. The fourth movement incongruously underpins Polish School string glissandos with a jazz drum-and-cymbal beat. The concluding Largo movement is plaintive post-Impressionist tone painting marked by short solo-instrumental passages. A brief section of chaos is the only forte in the movement until the final crescendo that sets dissonant brass and percussion lose for a concluding flurry.

Stephen Ellis, Fanfare, 1986