Abstract
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra: Symphony No. 6 and Underwater Music by Anthony Ritchie (composer), recorded in Auckland, New Zealand, Rattle Records.
Symphony No. 6 is a meditation on love, death, and the afterlife. From the plaintive saxophone solo at the start to the mysterious flights of spirits in the third movement and the grieving of the finale, this symphony takes the listener on an emotional journey. As personal as Symphony No. 6 is for Anthony, the work is not specifically programmatic. The titles of the movements act as cues for developing the listener’s own thoughts and reactions.