Symphony No. 2 (Bruckner)
Formation
When Anton Bruckner came to Vienna in 1868 to take up his post at the Conservatory ( professor of harmony and counterpoint) as the successor of the famous Simon Sechter, he was very scared of this at a turning point of the metropolis located. During this time he also traveled to England and France to act as an organ virtuoso, which earned him great success. The first sentence of the 2nd symphony Bruckner sketched probably early October 1871, on 11 October, he began writing down. After a few interruptions ( Mass in F Minor) he presented the symphony completed during a summer stay in St. Florian.
General
As so often in Bruckner's oeuvre, the symphony was immediately rejected for being too difficult and unplayable, it was the part of the Philharmonic Orchestra in Vienna. Also, a reduction of 20 to 40 cycles did not bring the desired success. Franz Liszt, who was also present at a sample should have been thrilled with the symphony and some of the musicians lined up behind Bruckner, but to no avail. When he brought a revised version premiered in 1877, so he was not really satisfied, whereupon he again looked through. Today's most played version is the ultimate, edited by the creator of Anton Bruckner Complete Edition, Leopold Nowak.
Factory data
- Orchestra Instrumentation: 2222-4230 - pk -Str.
- Duration 1st version: about 70 min
- Duration 2nd version: 60 min
Work
1st movement: Moderato
The Moderato Bruckner opened a symphony with the typical tremolos in the strings for the first time. The first theme is characterized by chromaticism and modulation, it is first only two-stroke. For these two measures, however, a whole complex, which will be carried forward by several groups of instruments developed. The second issue is, as usual, a quiet rural theme, performed by the upper strings, an pizzicato bass. The third and last topic - this is typical for Bruckner - is a unison theme over a Streicherostinato. Before Reprise Bruckner remains in general pauses.
2nd movement: Scherzo. Moderately fast - Trio. same pace
The Scherzo was in the original version before the Andante (see Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 ). From very small musical elements is this sentence that begins with " brute force " ( orchestral tutti - C minor sound ) ends. The trio is as usual of idyllic character.
3rd movement: Andante. Solemnly, something moves
In the Andante Bruckner cites itself, namely from the Benedictus of the f- minor mass. The movement is a rondo and has, probably through the quotes, a very religious character. For the first time this shows Bruckner's characteristic form of conditioning of the slow movement AB -A' -B' -A ''.
4th movement: Finale. fairly quickly
The first theme of the finale unfolds from the beginning ( piano) in constant increase and crescendo up in measure 33 of the first peak is reached. The second theme acts as a stark counterpart to this " volcano - topic ". As a further outbreak of the main theme is after a general pause a chorale as a third theme, which is taken from the f - minor mass. The movement is a sonata form with rondo elements. Again the theme from the first movement, which is also typical for Bruckner appears at the end.