Alfred Schnittke: Declaration of Love

Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998) was a Soviet/Russian composer who developed his own, easily recognisable polystylistic technique used in his many symphonies and concertos. One of the most talented composers of the twentieth century, Schnittke also scored over seventy films, including Larisa Shepitko’s war masterpiece The Ascent (1976), Ilya Averbakh’s philosophical Faratyev’s Fantasies (1979), and Konstantin Lopushansky’s post-apocalyptic tour de force A Visitor to a Museum (1989). Declaration of Love is probably Schnittke’s most lyrical and nostalgic composition that featured in film The Story of Voyages (1983). The piece is deeply poignant, melancholic and romantic, and we can clearly discern Schnittke’s intention of always trying to convey much meaning through music, as well as the sense of an intimate, soulful, personal struggle.