2nd symphony (Walton)
The 2nd symphony by the English composer William Walton (1902–1983) was premiered in Edinburgh in 1960 by the Liverpool Orchestra under the direction of John Pritchard .
Origin, premiere and reception
William Walton's Symphony No. 2 was composed around 25 years after his symphonic debut. The occasion was a 1955 commission from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society to celebrate the 750th anniversary of the city, which was celebrated in 1957. Since Walton was still working on other works, including the cello concerto, and a car accident made hospitalization necessary, he did not begin to compose the symphony until the end of 1957. The first performance, which was postponed to December 1958, had to be postponed again because the composer, known for his slow working method, did not complete the symphony until July 1960. It was premiered on September 2, 1960 as part of the Edinburgh Festival by the Liverpool Orchestra under the direction of John Pritchard.
Unlike Walton's powerful 1st Symphony , which developed into a repertoire piece immediately after its premiere, the significantly more undramatic and concentrated 2nd Symphony, despite the large cast, found a divided echo in music criticism, probably also because it did not respond to the avant-garde currents prevailing in 1960 followed.
Walton's Symphony No. 2 was originally dedicated to the commissioning Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society. After the death of George Szell in 1970, however, he dedicated it to the memory of this conductor, who was very committed to the work and also took over the first recording in 1961 with the Cleveland Orchestra .
Cast and playing time
The score provides for the following occupation before: 3 flutes (3rd also piccolo ), 3 oboes (3 also English horn ), 3 clarinets (second and Eb clarinet, 3rd and bass clarinet), 3 bassoons (3rd also contrabassoon ), 4 horns , 3 trumpets , 3 trombones , tuba , timpani , extensive percussion (with: military drum , snare drum , crash cymbal , hanging cymbal, bass drum , glockenspiel , vibraphone , xylophone , tambourine , bell ), piano , celesta , 2 harps and strings .
The performance lasts almost half an hour.
Structure and characterization
The three movements of the symphony have the following tempo markings:
- Allegro molto
- Lento assai
- Passacaglia - Fugato - Coda-Scherzando
The first movement follows the sonata form with a softly fading coda . Its thematic material is largely derived from the major seventh at the beginning . The basic key of G minor of the very colorfully orchestrated movement is often obscured.
The slow second movement in B major begins with lyrical passages from the woodwinds and strings. Its middle section is delicately orchestrated with string tremoli sul ponticello , vibraphone, celesta and harps. The freely designed recapitulation is introduced by the solo horn.
The final third movement represents a Passacaglia . The theme immediately at the beginning is a twelve-tone sequence , the first three tones of which, however, form a G minor chord. The 10 mostly short and quick variations that follow, as well as the following fugato, are neither serial nor atonal . The movement ends in a triumphant coda ending in G major.
literature
- CD supplement Sony Music, MPK 46732, William Walton: 2nd Symphony a. a., George Szell, Cleveland Orchestra; Text: Marc Vignal
- CD supplement Chandos, CHSA 5153, William Walton: 2nd symphony a. a., Edward Gardner, BBC Symphony Orchestra; Text: Anthony Burton
- Robert Matthew-Walker: Aspects of Walton's Second Symphony . Tempo, New Series, No. 221 (July 2002), Cambridge University Press, pp. 29-33