Pacific 231

Pacific 231 is a symphonic movement ( mouvement symphonique ) by Arthur Honegger in which the railway journey is musically in the form of a tone poem with a Pacific steam locomotive. The work dedicated to Ernest Ansermet was built in 1923 and was first performed on 8 May 1924 in the Paris Opera. The game lasts about six minutes.

Formation

Pacific steam engines were at the beginning of the 20th century, the fastest and most modern locomotives. They carried the major European express trains such as the Orient Express, the Train Bleu or the Rheingold. The title " Pacific 231 " are widespread in France type name again, but, strictly speaking, a tautology, because both the old American term "Pacific " as well as the French digits " 231 " steam locomotive wheel arrangement 2'C1 ' call.

Honegger, of " a passionate love for locomotives " harbored in his own words, intended to describe in his work with musical means the passage of a heavy bullet train with a Pacific steam locomotive. This Honegger did not want to imitate the sounds of the locomotive, but bring a " visual impression and a physical well-being" expressed.

Honegger understood the work not only in the programmatic sense, but as absolute music, as an abstract idea, rhythm to speed mathematically. This he realized when starting the engine with a strict shortening, when braking with an extension of note values ​​without accelerate the pace or slow down.

Music

Orchestra

1 piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, one English horn, 2 clarinets, 1 bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, 1 contrabassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, 1 tuba; Percussion: Tenor Drum ( caisse roulante ), military drum, cymbals, bass drum, tom-tom; Strings: Violins, violas, cellos, double basses.

Structure of the work

The work consists of five parts, in which the various movements are musically:

Adaptations

  • The 1949 short film created by Jean Mitry Pacific 231 is a mood about the journey of the locomotive using the music of Arthur Honegger.
  • The Swiss 20 -franc note a portrait of Arthur Honegger and on the back can be found on the front is a topic from Pacific 231
629352
de