Submitted by Dr. Werner Sobotzik, Nov 14, 2007 10:27

Dear Mr. Loomis,

it was a pleasure to read your article on Schnittke's 9th Symphony. But let me note please, that the tempo marking of the first movement added by Raskatov is [Andante], not Moderato. Schnittke himself did not mark any tempo at the beginning of this movement. In my opinion this would suggest, indicate or even stress the idea of accelleration in the energetic development of the symphony, an idea which, in my opinion, is also inherent to the formal structure of the whole work.

With best regards,
Dr. Werner Sobotzik
Hamburg

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