- Pejačević began writing her Symphony in f-sharp minor in 1916 and continued through her time as a volunteer nurse during WWI. She premiered two movements from the work in Vienna in 1918, and after some revising, the symphony finally premiered in its entirety in Dresden in 1920.
- Symphony in f-sharp minor is among the first modern symphonies by a Croatian composer, thus solidifying Pejačević’s influential mark on the development of classical music in her native country.1
- Fun fact – Symphony in f-sharp minor is the composer’s only symphony.
- Listen for – Given that the piece was written amid war, the symphony is sometimes dark and turbulent, which the composer balances with fleeting moments of lyrical beauty.2
Sources
- Pamela Blevins, “Symphony in F sharp minor, Op. 41” in accompanying booklet, Pejacevic: Piano Concerto / Symphony performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sakari Oramo, CHAN 5299, 2022, compact disc.
- Rebecca Franks, “Evening the scores,” BBC Music Magazine Vol. 30, No. 11 (2022): 40.
Cut IDs
24701