2nd piano concerto (Shostakovich)

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The 2nd Piano Concerto in F major, op. 102 is a piano concerto by the Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich .

Emergence

The piano concerto was written in 1957, over 20 years after his first piano concerto. The work is dedicated to Shostakovich's son, Maxim Shostakovich , and was given to him on his 19th birthday. This is one of the reasons why it exudes a youthful vigor and lightness, almost seriousness, with which Shostakovich characterizes youth. In the second sentence, however, he also allows her depth of thought and feeling.

To the music

occupation

Solo piano , 2 flutes , piccolo , 2 oboes , 2 clarinets , 2 bassoons , 4 horns , timpani , snare drum and strings

1st movement: Allegro

The main clause begins with a simple and song-like subject. After a preparatory motif of the woodwinds, the piano introduces this theme. The epilogue consists of a rapid tone repetition motif in the piano to accompany the drum. Afterwards, the solo piano introduces the second theme, which is conceived from the material of the first, but has a more lyrical effect. A tutti stroke of the orchestra leads back to the main theme with stormy piano accompaniment, which appears in a rapidly processed form. Rhythmically shifted and dynamically varied motif scraps appear again and again, which give the movement a very restless character. At the climax of this event, the second theme is jubilantly presented by the whole orchestra. This is followed by a short solo cadenza , which has fugato-like elements and emphasizes Shostakovich's contrapuntal strength. This leads to the recapitulation of the main theme, from which the rapid end of the sentence develops in a large flowing movement.

2nd movement: Andante

The andante is the lyrical center of the concert. In this movement both the wind instruments and the percussion are silent. A plaintive theme from the strings opens the moving movement. The elegiac singing slowly develops, to which the solo piano finally joins and intones the cantable main idea. A consoling gesture by the strings triggers a new movement in the piano, which leads to the opening thought of the movement, which is now performed on the piano. Another twist in the solo piano with a calm string accompaniment leads to a peaceful end to the sublime movement.

3rd movement: Allegro

The final allegro follows the andante almost attacca . A repetitive gesture of the piano leads to the main dance theme of the finale. The solo piano develops the idea in a high-spirited manner, while the strings only throw in a few short supporting chords. Only then does the orchestral tutti introduce a short rotating figure in forte , which is picked up by the piano. As in the first movement, the musical material is developed in a variety of ways and with various scraps of motifs at a breathtaking pace and forward thrust. The unstoppable run leads to the stormy end of the concert with bangs.

effect

The second piano concerto was premiered by Shostakovich's son Maxim for graduation at the Moscow Conservatory . Although the concerto was well received, Shostakovich thought it was a poor work. He himself judged that it contained “no artistic achievements worth preserving”. Contrary to this harsh self-criticism, the concert has become a popular work by Shostakovich, probably because of its freshness and spontaneity. It is performed and recorded over and over again. Both Shostakovichs made recordings of the concert.

literature

  • Schäfer, Hans-Jürgen (Ed.): Concert Book Orchestermusik PZ, in it: Dmitri Schostakowitsch, Deutscher Verlag für Musik VEB, Leipzig, 1978.
  • Meyer, Krzysztof: Shostakovich. His life, his work, his music, Atlantis Musikbuch-Verlag, Bergisch Gladbach 1995, ISBN 3-7857-0772-X