{ program notes
of great humility , the tenors and basses begin the solemn chant “ Laudate .” After the music briefly slows for “ Alleluia ,” the tempo accelerates again , and we hear an exciting passage of vaulting notes in the winds and pianos . Stravinsky explained that this “ was inspired by a vision of Elijah ’ s chariot climbing the heavens [ Second Kings 2 : 11 ] … The final hymn of praise must be thought of as issuing from the skies ; agitation is followed by the calm of praise .” That calm is expressed in an extended slow-tempo closing coda : a grand and moving apotheosis such as we hear in a number of Stravinsky ’ s works , beginning with the beautiful ending of The Firebird .
Instrumentation : Five flutes including piccolo , four oboes , English horn , three bassoons , contrabassoon , four horns , five trumpets , three trombones , tuba , timpani , percussion , harp , two pianos , cellos , contrabasses .
Symphony No . 2 in E minor
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Born in Oneg , Russia , April 1 , 1873 ; died in Beverly Hills , California , March 28 , 1943
One of the most lavishly gifted of musicians , Sergei Rachmaninoff was not only a composer but one of this century ’ s greatest pianists , and during his Russian years a celebrated conductor as well . But he often found his multiple talents more curse than blessing . As he explained , “ When I am concertizing , I cannot compose . When I feel like writing music , I have to concentrate on that — I cannot touch the piano . When I am conducting , I can neither compose nor play concerts . … I have to concentrate on any one thing I am doing to such a degree that it does not seem to allow me to take up anything else .”
In 1906 , the urge to compose predominated . But first Rachmaninoff had to extricate himself from his post as conductor at Moscow ’ s Imperial Grand Theater and the hectic social life that came with it . To secure the serenity he needed for creation , he moved his family to Dresden , Germany , where he lived virtually incognito for the next three years . The fruits of this self-imposed exile included his First Piano Sonata , the brooding tone poem The Isle of the Dead , and his Second Symphony .
Composing this last work required laying some demons to rest . In 1897 , Rachmaninoff ’ s First Symphony had had a disastrous premiere in St . Petersburg ; the brutal reviews it received almost scuttled his composing career for good . Thus , he was very secretive with friends and the press about what he was up to in Dresden . “ I give my solemn word — no more symphonies . Curse them ! I don ’ t know how to write them , but mainly I don ’ t want to .” However , the Second Symphony was drafted at high speed in the final months of 1906 , then painstakingly revised and orchestrated throughout 1907 . Rachmaninoff returned to Russia to conduct its premiere in St . Petersburg on January 26 , 1908 ; its unqualified success finally vindicated his powers as a symphonist .
Rachmaninoff ’ s First Symphony had had a disastrous premiere in St . Petersburg ; the brutal reviews almost scuttled his composing career for good .
The Second draws its power and popularity from Rachmaninoff ’ s talent for creating ardent , emotionally compelling melodies . “ Music must first and foremost be loved ,” he once said . “ It must come from the heart and it must be directed to the heart . Otherwise it cannot hope to be lasting , indestructible art .”
The first movement grows from its opening phrase , played quietly by cellos and basses . This motto idea spawns all the movement ’ s themes and also underpins the entire symphony . The violins immediately spin it into a swirling melody . This slow introduction reaches a peak of emotional ardor before the English horn leads smoothly into the main Allegro section . Here , the violins introduce the principal theme , itself more lyrical and expansive than most symphonic first themes . A dramatic transitional passage precedes the even more lyrical second theme , with melancholy woodwind sighs and a soaring violin melody . Solo violin launches the development section , which explores the dramatic potential of the opening motto idea .
The second-movement scherzo is as vigorous as the first movement was languorous . Throughout his career , Rachmaninoff used the stark , downand-up “ Dies irae ” chant theme from the Catholic rite for the dead as a leitmotive ; here , it is hidden in the horns ’ boisterous opening theme . Yet in the midst of this movement ’ s manic energy , there is time for another luxuriant Rachmaninoff tune for the violins . The middle trio section features a ferocious string fugue — so testing it is included on orchestral auditions for violinists and violists .
The Adagio third movement is luscious , heartfelt melody from beginning to end . The most famous is the violins ’ upward-sighing phrase at the beginning . But this is only introduction to the solo clarinet ’ s long-spun-out melody . A plaintive dialogue among oboe , English horn and strings fills the middle section ; it recalls nostalgically the themes of the symphony ’ s slow introduction .
Rachmaninoff opens the finale with a wild tarantella dance . A wry march for woodwinds provides a second thematic strand . And the third theme is the last big lyrical melody for violins — the most sweeping of them all . In the development section , listen for one of the work ’ s most extraordinary passages : a long crescendo of downward scales in different speeds for the various instruments . This is a dazzling recreation of the pealing of Russian church bells , a sound Rachmaninoff loved as a child and recalled in many of his works . The coda offers a grand reprise of the violins ’ big tune and finishes in a blaze of Czarist splendor .
Instrumentation : Three flutes including piccolo , three oboes including English horn , two clarinets , bass clarinet , four horns , three trumpets , three trombones , tuba , timpani , percussion , strings .
Notes by Janet E . Bedell , Copyright © 2017
38 Overture | bsomusic . org