Symphony No. 2 (Davies)

Last updated
Symphony No. 2
by Peter Maxwell Davies
Peter Maxwell Davies.jpg
The composer in 2012
Key B minor
OccasionCentenary of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Recorded1993 (1993)
Movements4
Premiere
Date26 February 1981 (1981-02-26)
Location Symphony Hall, Boston
Conductor Seiji Ozawa
PerformersBoston Symphony Orchestra

The Symphony No. 2 by Peter Maxwell Davies was commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in celebration of its centenary, and was composed in 1980. Seiji Ozawa conducted the world premiere with the BSO on 26 February 1981 at Symphony Hall, Boston. The same forces performed the New York premiere on 4 March that year at Carnegie Hall. [1]

Contents

Character and materials

The symphony is in B minor, though the key does not figure in the title and the tonality is not entirely conventional. It has been characterised as "focused atonality ... a new tonality without neo-classicism". [2] For example, instead of the usual dominant, F, throughout the symphony Davies uses E, a semitone lower and a tritone above the tonic—a technique used earlier by Bartók in the first movement of his Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta . [3] An additional unifying element used throughout the work is the plainsong "Nativitas tua, Dei Genitrix", a chant for the birthday of the Virgin Mary, which also happens to be the composer's birthday. [4] The symphony has been characterised as Davies's La Mer , [5] and compared, both in quality and in structure, to Vaughan Williams's Sixth Symphony. [6]

Instrumentation

The symphony is scored for two flutes, piccolo (doubling alto flute), two oboes, two clarinets, bass clarinet, two bassoons, double bassoon, four horns, three trumpets, two trombones, timpani, glockenspiel, crotales, marimba, harp, and strings.

Analysis

The symphony is in four movements, corresponding loosely to the traditional symphony plan:

  1. Allegro molto – Allegro
  2. Adagio
  3. Allegro molto, leggiero
  4. Adagio, flessibile – Poco più mosso – Più mosso – Moderato – Allegro

The first movement begins with an introduction presenting all of the germ cells used in the entire symphony. This is followed by a sonata-allegro, in which the usual development is replaced by a succession of transformation processes.

The second movement is in the tritone-related key of F minor. A slow theme in the cellos, presenting "an almost Elgarian demeanour" [5] is followed by four variations—called "doubles" by the composer [7] —for bassoon, horn, oboe, and trumpet.

The third movement resembles a scherzo and trio, and is in F major.

The final movement returns to the tonal centre of B. It begins as a passacaglia, recalling the finale of Brahms's Fourth Symphony only of a more episodic nature. [3] However, it gradually evolves, first into a character similar to the first movement, and then into the manner of a traditional symphonic finale.

Discography

Related Research Articles

Symphony No. 1 (Shostakovich)

The Symphony No. 1 in F minor, Op. 10, by Dmitri Shostakovich was written in 1924–1925, and first performed in Leningrad by the Leningrad Philharmonic under Nikolai Malko on 12 May 1926. Shostakovich wrote the work as his graduation piece at the Petrograd Conservatory, completing it at the age of 19.

The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34, is a 1945 musical composition by Benjamin Britten with a subtitle Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell. It was based on the second movement, "Rondeau", of the Abdelazer suite. It was originally commissioned for the British educational documentary film called Instruments of the Orchestra released on 29 November 1946, directed by Muir Mathieson and featuring the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Malcolm Sargent; Sargent also conducted the concert première on 15 October 1946 with the Liverpool Philharmonic in the Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, England.

Symphony No. 4 (Sibelius)

The Symphony No. 4 in A minor, Op. 63, is one of seven completed symphonies composed by Jean Sibelius. Written between 1910 and 1911, it was premiered in Helsinki on 3 April 1911 by the Philharmonia Society, with Sibelius conducting.

Youth Symphony (Rachmaninoff) Symphonic fragment by Sergei Rachmaninoff

The Youth Symphony in D minor is the first movement of a symphony written by Sergei Rachmaninoff, the score of which is dated September 28, 1891. It is the only movement of the work that was completed.

The Symphony No. 2 in E minor and C major by Arnold Bax was completed in 1926, after he had worked on it for two years. It was dedicated to Serge Koussevitzky, who conducted the first two performances of the work on 13 and 14 December 1929.

The Symphony No. 2 in D-flat major, Opus 30, W45, "Romantic", was written by Howard Hanson on commission from Serge Koussevitzky for the 50th anniversary of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1930, and published by Carl Fischer Music.

Symphony No. 6 (Davies)

The Symphony No. 6 by Peter Maxwell Davies was composed in Hoy during the first half of 1996, and was premiered on 22 June of the same year in the Phoenix Cinema, Kirkwall, as part of the twentieth St Magnus Festival, Orkney, by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by the composer. The work was written with specific members of the RPO in mind, and is dedicated to the memory of the poet George Mackay Brown, who died on the day the symphony was completed.

Symphony No. 3 (Davies)

The Symphony No. 3 by Peter Maxwell Davies was composed in 1984 on a commission from the BBC Philharmonic, who gave the world premiere on 19 February 1985, at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester, with Edward Downes conducting.

Symphony No. 4 (Davies)

The Symphony No. 4 by Peter Maxwell Davies was commissioned for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra by Christian Salvesen plc and composed in 1989. It is dedicated to the memory of the violinist John Tunnell, who had been leader of the orchestra, and was premiered at the Royal Albert Hall on a BBC Promenade Concert on 10 September 1989, with the composer conducting the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

Symphony No. 5 (Davies)

The Symphony No. 5 was composed by Peter Maxwell Davies in 1994 on commission from the Philharmonia Orchestra, who gave the world premiere under the composer's direction at a BBC Promenade concert on 9 August 1994 at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Symphony No. 1 (Davies)

The Symphony No. 1 by Peter Maxwell Davies was composed between 1973 and 1976, and is dedicated to Sir William Glock, "as a mark of friendship and of appreciation of his work for contemporary music in his years as music controller at the B.B.C.". It was commissioned by the Philharmonia Orchestra, which gave the premiere of the symphony at the Royal Festival Hall, London, on 2 February 1978, with Simon Rattle conducting.

Symphony No. 7 (Davies)

The Symphony No. 7 by Peter Maxwell Davies was composed in 2000. It was written for and dedicated to the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, by whom it was premiered on 19 June 2000 at the St Magnus Festival, in the Pickaquoy Centre, Kirkwall, Orkney, conducted by the composer.

Symphony No. 4, subtitled Sinfonía romántica is an orchestral composition by Carlos Chávez, composed in 1953.

The Symphony No. 1, H. 289, is an orchestral composition by the Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů.

Symphony No. 10 (Davies)

The Symphony No. 10, Op. 327, is a composition for orchestra, chorus, and baritone soloist, composed by Peter Maxwell Davies in 2013. It was premiered on 2 February 2014 at the Barbican Hall in London, by the London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, with baritone soloist Markus Butter, conducted by Antonio Pappano.

Trumpet Concerto (Davies)

The Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra is a composition for trumpet solo and orchestra by the British composer Peter Maxwell Davies. The work was commissioned by the Philharmonia Orchestra for its then principal trumpeter John Wallace. It was given its world premiere by Wallace and the Philharmonia Orchestra under the conductor Giuseppe Sinopoli in Hiroshima on 21 September 1988.

The Piano Concerto is a composition for solo piano and orchestra by the British composer Peter Maxwell Davies. The work was commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and was completed on 24 September 1997. The piece is dedicated to the pianist Kathryn Stott, who premiered the work with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under the composer at the Nottingham Royal Concert Hall on 7 November 1997.

The Symphony No. 3 is a composition for orchestra by the American composer Ned Rorem. The work was first performed by the New York Philharmonic under the direction of Leonard Bernstein at Carnegie Hall on April 16, 1959.

The Violin Concerto No. 1 is the first violin concerto by the British composer Peter Maxwell Davies. It was commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to commemorate the ensemble's 40th anniversary. The work was completed in 1985 and first performed at the St Magnus Festival by the violinist Isaac Stern and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by André Previn on 21 June 1986. The piece is dedicated to Isaac Stern.

Viola Concerto (Schnittke) 1985 concerto by Alfred Schnittke

The Concerto for Viola and Orchestra is a viola concerto by Soviet and German composer Alfred Schnittke. It was written in the summer of 1985. Its dedicatee is viola player Yuri Bashmet, who gave the work its world premiere with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Lukas Vis at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam on 9 January 1986.

References

  1. Henahan 1981.
  2. Whittall 1983, 319.
  3. 1 2 Karolyi 1994, 127.
  4. Davies 1994, 3.
  5. 1 2 Dunnett 1994, 54.
  6. Whittall 1983, 318.
  7. Davies 1994, 4.

Sources

Further reading