Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Aarhus Symphony Orchestra conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes.
I - Adagio e molto semplice (𝅘𝅥 = c. 72) - Poco inquieto - Con forza (più mosso) - Meno mosso e semplice - Molto semplice - Con forza - Con brio (𝅘𝅥 = c. 72) - Allegro espansivo - Più tranquillo (𝅘𝅥 = c. 88-92) - Andante con moto ma molto semplice - Tempo I (𝅘𝅥 = c. 72): 0:00
II - Allegro molto e con fuoco: 17:53
Holmboe's Symphony No.6 was composed in 1947, being dedicated to his wife Meta Holmboe. It was premiered in Copenhagen on January 8 of 1948, performed in a broadcasted concert by the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Erik Tuxen. Holmboe described its inspiration as "a spring day in 1947. A split second in which things become totally clear and self-explanatory. An impression of space, distance, of concrete presence. A space of time, perceived and grasped within a fraction of a second — Had a work been born? Could one now sit down and start writing?"
Divided in two substantial movements, the work follows the fifth symphony in the use and development of the technique of metamorphosis, which reached its full form in the Seventh and Eighth Symphonies. Holmboe's Metamorphosis is an original structural principle in which the material is continually being transformed from one state to another, gradually reaching a "total change", without losing its identity or its fundamental characteristics. The correspondence with nature's continuous transformation of matter is striking, and the material which Holmboe introduces into the process of change is most usually a musical "embryo", a thematic, motivic or rhythmical idea. Throughout a lifelong development he unwaveringly kept to a modal-diatonic basis (twelve tone music and serialism appealed little to him) but the principle has striking similarities with the constructive principles employed by Schoenberg and his pupils.
The first movement is structured in a flexible sonata form. It begins with serene strings introducing a melodic idea based on the interval of a fourth, which pervades the whole movement. The motive becomes the basis of a lyrical main theme that gradually unfolds on contrapuntal strings, rising to an expressive peak before giving way to the next part. The central section opens with a semiquaver motif on woodwinds in parallel thirds, growing into a rhythmic second theme of Nordic flavour. It is soon combined with the fourth-interval material, becoming more urgent and agitated before being developed in a series of metamorphosic transformations. A long and deliberate crescendo leads to a broad and powerfully sustained climax with the opening theme on the brass. After a diminuendo, we find a kind of varied recapitulation of the themes with different orchestration. String tremolos lead to a magical pianissimo plateau where the fourth-interval motif is combined with the rhythmic idea once again. The movement ends with a contemplative coda that gradually dissolves in the silence, after strings restate the opening motive for the last time.
The second movement is rather free, not following a standard structure. It opens with a rhythmic motive on brass and timpani, constructed over two minor thirds separated by a minor second. From this a vigorous and wilful main theme is formed with three repeated notes, which as in the first movement, is subjected by a series of metamorphosic transformations. A slower and contrasting section starts with a melodic idea introduced by string basses in triplets, which then unfolds in a contrapuntal fugato. The music grows more expressive and dramatic in the ensuing crescendo, which culminates in a dissonant climax in which the movement's opening motive returns, followed by a gentle diminuendo. Afterwards a varied recapitulation of the main material takes place, before continuing its development under the same metamorphosic principles. The music reaches a bellicose climax, before a crescendo leads to a more stormy peak. The movement ends with a peaceful coda in which motivic fragments from the first movement's fourths turn up. Like an echo of the work's lyrical aspects the symphony comes to an end pianissimo in the high violins after four powerful chords having the second movement's motto as a base.
Picture: "Summer Night Up North" (1947) by the Norwegian painter Axel Revold.
Musical analysis partially written by myself. Source: tinyurl.com/2xqnmanb
To check the score: tinyurl.com/2bxq3fry
Aarhus Symphony Orchestra conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes.
I - Adagio e molto semplice (𝅘𝅥 = c. 72) - Poco inquieto - Con forza (più mosso) - Meno mosso e semplice - Molto semplice - Con forza - Con brio (𝅘𝅥 = c. 72) - Allegro espansivo - Più tranquillo (𝅘𝅥 = c. 88-92) - Andante con moto ma molto semplice - Tempo I (𝅘𝅥 = c. 72): 0:00
II - Allegro molto e con fuoco: 17:53
Holmboe's Symphony No.6 was composed in 1947, being dedicated to his wife Meta Holmboe. It was premiered in Copenhagen on January 8 of 1948, performed in a broadcasted concert by the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Erik Tuxen. Holmboe described its inspiration as "a spring day in 1947. A split second in which things become totally clear and self-explanatory. An impression of space, distance, of concrete presence. A space of time, perceived and grasped within a fraction of a second — Had a work been born? Could one now sit down and start writing?"
Divided in two substantial movements, the work follows the fifth symphony in the use and development of the technique of metamorphosis, which reached its full form in the Seventh and Eighth Symphonies. Holmboe's Metamorphosis is an original structural principle in which the material is continually being transformed from one state to another, gradually reaching a "total change", without losing its identity or its fundamental characteristics. The correspondence with nature's continuous transformation of matter is striking, and the material which Holmboe introduces into the process of change is most usually a musical "embryo", a thematic, motivic or rhythmical idea. Throughout a lifelong development he unwaveringly kept to a modal-diatonic basis (twelve tone music and serialism appealed little to him) but the principle has striking similarities with the constructive principles employed by Schoenberg and his pupils.
The first movement is structured in a flexible sonata form. It begins with serene strings introducing a melodic idea based on the interval of a fourth, which pervades the whole movement. The motive becomes the basis of a lyrical main theme that gradually unfolds on contrapuntal strings, rising to an expressive peak before giving way to the next part. The central section opens with a semiquaver motif on woodwinds in parallel thirds, growing into a rhythmic second theme of Nordic flavour. It is soon combined with the fourth-interval material, becoming more urgent and agitated before being developed in a series of metamorphosic transformations. A long and deliberate crescendo leads to a broad and powerfully sustained climax with the opening theme on the brass. After a diminuendo, we find a kind of varied recapitulation of the themes with different orchestration. String tremolos lead to a magical pianissimo plateau where the fourth-interval motif is combined with the rhythmic idea once again. The movement ends with a contemplative coda that gradually dissolves in the silence, after strings restate the opening motive for the last time.
The second movement is rather free, not following a standard structure. It opens with a rhythmic motive on brass and timpani, constructed over two minor thirds separated by a minor second. From this a vigorous and wilful main theme is formed with three repeated notes, which as in the first movement, is subjected by a series of metamorphosic transformations. A slower and contrasting section starts with a melodic idea introduced by string basses in triplets, which then unfolds in a contrapuntal fugato. The music grows more expressive and dramatic in the ensuing crescendo, which culminates in a dissonant climax in which the movement's opening motive returns, followed by a gentle diminuendo. Afterwards a varied recapitulation of the main material takes place, before continuing its development under the same metamorphosic principles. The music reaches a bellicose climax, before a crescendo leads to a more stormy peak. The movement ends with a peaceful coda in which motivic fragments from the first movement's fourths turn up. Like an echo of the work's lyrical aspects the symphony comes to an end pianissimo in the high violins after four powerful chords having the second movement's motto as a base.
Picture: "Summer Night Up North" (1947) by the Norwegian painter Axel Revold.
Musical analysis partially written by myself. Source: tinyurl.com/2xqnmanb
To check the score: tinyurl.com/2bxq3fry
