Symphony No. 2 (Honegger)

The Symphony No. 2 in H153 of the Swiss composer Arthur Honegger was written in 1941 as a reaction of the composer on the events of the Second World War.

Instrumentation and record labels

Honegger wrote his second symphony only for string orchestra and trumpet.

"This [ the addition of the trumpet, note] not to achieve a desired effect, but simply a matter of maintaining a support for the associated border in long notes melody of the first violinist, the otherwise identical through the polyphony of the other instruments with to be drowned timbre threaten! "

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Music

A plaintive Dreitonmelodie the solo viola describes the deep sorrow Honegger, whose oppressive atmosphere throughout the symphony is present. The recurring in the second sentence viola melody is set against even the Allegro of the first movement. Also, the Adagio mesto retains the gloom and despair. In virtuosic third movement Honegger was looking for a " brilliant element as a contrast to the first two sets [ ... ]. " ( Arthur Honegger: 1943. ) The music is condensed in the strings rapidly until the solo trumpet style similar to the JS Bach Choral releases the tension of the symphony. Together, the second, third and fourth Symphonic can be viewed as a war trilogy, because all three of Honegger impressions try to work on the Second World War. As Honegger wrote the Second Symphony, the German Wehrmacht his former residence Paris just kept busy. At the end of the work promises the chorale of the trumpet liberation from suffering.

The performance lasts an average of 25 minutes.

Dedication and premiere

The symphony is dedicated to Paul Sacher, who conducted the premiere in May 1942 with the Zurich Collegium Musicum in Zurich.