Alfred Schnittke: Classic or Dud?

From my abandoned essay on polystylism ("all dance-pop in 2002 = secretly indebted to Schnittke"):
"Poly-stylism was originally coined in reference to the compositions of Alfred Schnittke in the 1970s. In order to escape the straightjacket of total serialism and to increase the associative content of his music, Schnittke began to produce compositions in which different styles occurred side by side.

Even in the 70s, harking back to or borrowing from an earlier style was nothing new - from the simultaneous playing of hymns, ragtime and marching band themes in Charles Ives Symphony No.4 (1910-16) to the collage of Luciano Berio’s Sinfonia (1968), not to mention any number of compositions derived from folk music or plainchant, the use of quotations has been pretty much a constant of the past 100 years. But in most, if not all of these examples, the composer keeps a certain distance from the 'borrowed' material.

With Schnittke’s polystylism, however, the references – while ranging widely – have a more meaningful interrelationship. They are transformed and developed in much the same way as are themes and motifs in a symphony. Moreover, after a chaotic ‘birth’ in his Symphony of 1969-72, Schnittke quickly began to aim for a greater unity and logic in his work, less triteness. He began to use fewer literal and more style quotations. By the 80s, he finally found his own voice..."

Oh and classic, but prefer his 70s work, in case you hadn't guessed.

Made in 1967, this film was not released at all, but moldered on a shelf for 20 years until mosfilm restored it in the glasnost-era and showed it to a fascinated audience. It won the special prize of the jury and the silver bear at the berlinale 1988. The reason for this ban was obvious: this is a pro-semitic film that shows the occupation of the Ukraine in less than heroic terms.

Steam from Synthesizer ANS 1964-1971

the only other thing I have is the 2nd & 3rd string quartets, time to listen again

gosh i almost started crying for real just now listening to symphony no.4

so amazing. been playing his stuff a ton. must hear everything.

i didn't cry though cuz i'm so manly. plus if someone came in the store right now and said why are you crying i would have to fall to my knees and scream SCHNITTKE!!!!! and i don't feel like doing that.

I have liked everything I have heard by him, so I say CLASSIC

Really! I feel the opposite, guy is super-spotty.

The polystylism in his 60s and early-to-mid 70s work, to my mind, is a super condescending approach to collage music. Little or no reverence for the music he's referencing, no humour, it's a musical equivalent of a clip show. At more than one point in my life I've thought of his First Symphony as, uh, the worst piece of music I've ever heard? (I kind of still feel that way tbh)

And still later, with the silent conductor solo in the 4th Violin Concerto? I can't get behind that stuff.

But yeah, the string quartets (except the 1st), the symphonies (except the 1st), violin concerto no. 3, oh!! oh: concerto grosso #5 do that get it now now now.

i'm no expert. i just got a bunch of great cds a couple weeks ago and i like them all. i've always wanted to delve into his stuff more, and i never see vinyl or cds anywhere. this is everything i got:

Schnittke – Quasi Una Sonata – Rostropovich (Sony)

Schnittke – Concerto Grosso no. 1 (DG)

Schnittke – Hymns/Denisov – Chamber Symphony (Melodiya)

Schnittke – Symphony no.3 (Melodiya)

Schnittke – Cello Concerto 2/Concerto Grosso no.2 (BIS)

Schnittke – Symphony no. 4 (Melodiya)

Schnittke – Concerto Grosso No.2/Concerto for Viola and Orchestra (Melodiya)

At more than one point in my life I've thought of his First Symphony as, uh, the worst piece of music I've ever heard? (I kind of still feel that way tbh)

Discovered it today, on my second listen. It's, to my ears, incredibly great (not least in how it treats topics of immense weight with both humour and intensity) - I'd say it's ultimately neither pro nor anti Western but internationalist and surrealist, and of a sufficiently ambiguous nature that the Soviet ministry of culture orchestra played it. Curious to see if our correspondent above has shifted their view at all

First Concerto Grosso is even better