Scott Robbins, composer

Micro-Symphony

orchestra (picc, 2 fl, 2 ob , Eng hn, 2 cl, bass cl, 2 bn, cbn/4 hn, 3 tpt, 2 tbn, bass tbn, tba/timp, 2 pc/cel/hp.strings)

7:00

The idea was to pack a 19th-century symphonic wallop into a seven-minute piece. This one goes through the requisite movements (sonata-allegro, slow movement, scherzo, finale) without pause, incorporating "micro-quotations" (i.e. the tonic) from all nine Beethoven symphonies. A very challenging piece to play, but it has some great sounds happening. Amazon.com (and others) sell it--you could own it

"A highly original conception follows in Scott Robbins’ four-movement Micro-Symphony from 1992 (a Bill Gates commission?), which, at just over seven and one half minutes, is one of the shortest ever works with “symphony” in the title. The Symphony alternates between movements of dance (orchestrated à la Copland) and Schoenbergian mood painting. The finale, being the longest of the four movements at 3:45, actually seems to last way beyond its timing."

Classics Today