2nd symphony (Schmidt)

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The symphony in E flat major for large orchestra is the second symphony by the composer Franz Schmidt . It was composed between 1911 and 1913 and was premiered in Vienna in 1913.

Sentence names

  1. Lively
  2. Allegretto con variazioni
    Simple and delicate
    Var. I in the same timeframe
    Var. II Somewhat more flowing
    Var. III Fast and easy
    Var. IV. Fast (same measure of time)
    Var. V. Very quickly
    Var. VI. Slowly and calmly
    Var. VII. Very quickly
    Var. VIII. Very passionate, not too fast
    Var. IX Scherzo. Very lively
    Var. X trio. Very quiet. Tempo I Scherzo
  3. Final. Slowly. Calm and flowing
    A little livelier

The playing time is approx. 50 minutes.

occupation

  • kl. Flute, 3 large flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, clarinet in Eb, 3 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon
  • 8 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, double bass tuba
  • Timpani, percussion
  • Strings

History of origin

According to earlier sketches, the second symphony in E flat major was composed mainly during the summer months of 1912 and 1913, the years when the composer's workload was greatest: he quit his service as cellist of the Philharmonic Court Opera Orchestra in 1914 because he was still working when a professor at the Conservatory seemed incompatible with orchestral services.

The world premiere of the Second Symphony was conducted by its dedicatee, Hofkapellmeister Franz Schalk , on December 3, 1913. The Vienna Philharmonic included the work of their former colleague in their concert programs in autumn 1914.

analysis

In that phase of his life, Schmidt succeeded in his most powerful symphonic work, which - two years after the death of Gustav Mahler - seems to take stock again: while Mahler had shown the way to modernity by breaking the classical forms, Schmidt unites in his second Once again the most important architectural schemes since the Baroque: Fugue technique , variation and sonata form , at the highest level of craftsmanship, sonically realized in late romantic, post-Wagnerian ecstasy by a giant orchestra. The combinatorial sophistication is of eminent virtuosity. Even the answer to the question of how many movements this symphony has is difficult: A first impression conveys the idea of ​​a three-movement form: a sonata allegro (“Lively”, E flat major, 4/4) at the beginning, a variation movement (“ Allegretto con Variazioni ”, B flat major, 3/8) in the center, a finale rich in contrapuntal (“ Slow ”, E flat minor, 4/4) with a brilliant final chorale in E flat major.

But appearances are deceptive. After the eloquent initial allegory with its lyrical, euphoric B major sub-movement, the middle movement combines the principle of variation with the classical-romantic scherzo form: variation no.9 represents the scherzo and is followed by the trio (consequently variation no. 10) repeated. The block of variations thus includes the two middle movements of the “classical” symphony.

And that's not all of the cross-connections: The finale, a rondo, is preceded by a slow “introduction”, a large-scale fugue, the theme of which can be read as variant no. 11 of the variation theme from the second movement. Needless to say that, on closer analysis, this theme is closely related to the main theme of the first movement of the symphony, which is also taken up again in the course of the finale - which would guarantee the thematic-thematic unity in the entire, approximately 50-minute composition . The cohesion is increased by the hymn-like final increase that grows out of the rondo: The Magyar sounds of Variation No. 8 from the second movement return and lead to a triumphant variant of the variation theme. Its metamorphosis is complete. The “simple and tender” melody, almost like a folk song, which had already been transformed into a Länder's Scherzo in between, has turned into a grandiose chorale, the effect of which is most comparable to the end of Anton Bruckner's fifth symphony . With Schmidt, the chorale becomes a kind of apotheosis of the symphonic form par excellence: as the culmination of a composition that once again brings together the technical techniques of baroque and classical European music.

reception

The Vienna Philharmonic under Dimitri Mitropoulos , Erich Leinsdorf and Semjon Bytschkow provided significant interpretations of this work, which is also extremely complex in terms of playing technique and therefore seldom played . There are studio recordings under the conductors Neeme Järvi (Chicago Symphony) and Fabio Luisi (Orchestra of the MDR, Leipzig).

literature

  • Harald Truscott: Franz Schmidt. The Orchestral Music. London 1984
  • Gottfried Scholz: The 2nd Symphony by Franz Schmidt. Vienna 1985
  • Paul-Gilbert Langevin: Franz Schmidt and his orchestral work. In: Studies on Franz Schmidt I, Vienna 1976

Web links