Symphony No. 3 "Symphonie Liturgique" (Honegger)

The Symphony No. 3 in H186 of the Swiss composer Arthur Honegger, also titled Symphony liturgique known, is a 1945/1946 resulting programmatic symphony with the movement titles Dies Irae, De profundis and Dona nobis pacem clamavi.

Instrumentation and record labels

Piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon - 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba - timpani, cymbals, bass drum, snare drum, tam-tam - Piano - 1st and 2nd Violins, violas, cellos and double basses.

Music

The header record is overwritten with Dies Irae, a part of the sequence of the holy Roman Mass to German Day of Wrath. Honegger can here a sound vision turned of Judgment arise. In the second set, overwritten with De profundis clamavi to German From the depths I called, can be achieved by Honegger by unusual instrumentations and expressions new sounds. Honegger has the chorale as one of the longest sentences based on Psalm 129 in his symphonies. The third movement, Dona nobis pacem to German Give us peace, end up going into an adagio, which symbolizes the end of the war. The Piccolo flute and a violin solo decide the symphony.

The performance lasts about 28 minutes.

Quote Honegger

" My symphony is a drama that three people - real or symbolic - play: the misfortune, happiness and man. It is an eternal problem. I tried to renew it [ ... ]. "

Dedication and premiere

Charles Münch, the dedicatee, conducted the premiere in August 1946 in Zurich.