Berio’s Sinfonia: A postmodern Symphony?

Berio’s Sinfonia: A postmodern Symphony?

“We always experiment with language. Language itself is a ground of experimentation. Every time we talk, we search, we experiment this miraculous connection between sound and meaning. In music, of course this is very fundamental. Sound of voice and clarinet become a meaningful event because they are a part of a vision, of a structure, of a musical thought.”
Luciano Berio

Berio’s initial intention for the title “Sinfonia” wasn’t analogical with the classical symphony. It was intended purely etymological: sounding together, here eight voice and instruments. If we take the term in a more general sense, then the piece is more than just sounding together of different parts but the interplay of a variety of things, situations and meanings. However, this seminal, large-scale work of five movements can also be considered as an early postmodern symphony. It blends a universe of musical and literary references and embraces almost 200...