{ program notes
in octaves. When the opening music
returns, the long-silent trumpet, playing
with a mute snarling its tone, becomes
the soloist.
Though listed as a separate movement, number three is really a grave
prelude to the finale. Between another
edition of Bach-style counterpoint for
the piano, the orchestra interjects dark,
brooding music. But the light suddenly
switches on as the comic finale begins,
in which everyone cuts loose in a
display of clownish pranks. As Schwarz
reminds us: “In Shostakovich’s musical makeup, Bach and Offenbach had
always been friendly neighbors.” Here
the trumpet aspires to push the pianist
out of the spotlight, and in the end —
with a series of manic fanfares — he
succeeds in that quest: Shostakovich
the composer finally defeating Shostakovich the pianist.
Instrumentation: Trumpet and strings.
Symphony No. 2 in D Major
Johannes Brahms
Born in Hamburg, Germany, May 7, 1833;
died in Vienna, Austria, April 3, 1897
Johannes Brahms’ composing retreat
during the summer of 1877 played an
important role in the character of his richly
melodious Second Symphony. This was the
picturesque mountain resort of Pörtschach
on the Wörtersee lake in southern Austria.
By the time he reached middle age, Brahms
— busy the rest of the year in Vienna with
performances and editing and publishing
his music — did most of his composing during the summer months. Finding
a place conducive to creativity became
all-important to him; in Pörtschach he
discovered an oasis so ideal he spent three
summers there, the next summer (1878)
composing the Violin Concerto.
Many commentators, comparing
Brahms’ pairing of a heroic symphony in
C minor and a lighter successor symphony
with Beethoven’s similarly contrasting
Fifth (also in C minor) and Sixth Symphonies, have called the Second Brahms’
“Pastoral”: a nature symphony full of
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Brahms
Although it has Brahms'
most joyous finale, the
Second Symphony is still
a densely constructed,
rather serious work with a
strong undercurrent of
introspection and melancholy
“sunshine.” But such comparisons can be
misleading. Although it has Brahms’ most
joyous finale, the Second Symphony is
still a densely constructed, rather serious
work with a strong undercurrent of introspection and melancholy, especially in its
first two movements.
First movement: The symphony grows
like a mighty oak from the seeds of its first
three notes — D dropping a half step to
C-sharp and returning to D — heard in
the cellos and basses. From this seed motive, and its inverted form with the middle
note rising a step heard a few measures
later in the horn melody, will sprout many
of the themes in all four movements. The
warm, Romantic timbre of the horns lends
the opening theme an autumnal glow.
More ardent is an arching, soaring melody
for the violins built from the three-note
seed. But this movement’s most famous
tune — and the one that reminds us that
it is in 3/4 waltz-time — is the “second
subject” theme: a stately, mellow waltz
sung by the cellos and violas, the cellos on
top for maximum richness.
Brahms shows off his formidable contrapuntal skills in the development section
with a powerful, fugal treatment of the
horns’ opening theme. The violins’ arching theme also is worked out while the
three-note seed motive is tossed continually from instrument to instrument. After
the recapitulation, Brahms lightens the
mood briefly for a rhythmically playful
half-smile of a coda.
But immediately the music darkens
again for the brooding B Major second
movement with its magnificent l ۙY[