User:Hstoops/Symphony No. 2 (Weingartner)

Symphony No.2
by Felix Weingartner
Felix Weingartner around 1890
KeyE-flat major
Opus29
PeriodRomantic
Composed1897-99
DedicationFranz Wüllner
Published1901
PublisherBreitkopf und Härtel
Duration47 min
Movements4

Felix Weingartner's Symphony No. 2 in E-flat Major, Op.29 is a musical composition that Weingartner started in 1897 and completed in 1899[1]. The overall musical language of the piece follows the aesthetics of late-romanticism although with a great emphasis on Schubertian melodicism. Despite that, as other contemporary Austrian composers of the end of the 20th century such as Gustav Mahler or Hans Rott[2], his second symphony heavily uses a Brucknerian treatment of simple motifs through extensive repetition and grand orchestration[3].

Instrumentation

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The work is scored for symphony orchestra consisting of the following assemble:

Woodwinds
3 flutes (3rd also takes piccolo)
3 oboes (3rd also takes English horn)
3 clarinets
3 bassoons (3rd also takes contrabassoon)
Brass
4 horns
3 trumpets
3 trombones
tuba
Percussion
timpani
Strings
harp
1st violins
2nd violins
violas
cellos
double basses

Form

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There are four movements with the scherzo placed second[4]:

  1. Lento - Allegro Mosso   (E-flat major)
  2. Scherzo: Allegro giocoso 3
    4
    (C major)
  3. Adagio, ma non troppo, cantabile 4
    8
    (A-flat major)
  4. Allegro risoluto   (E-flat major)

A typical performance lasts between 45 and 50 minutes.

Analysis

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Movement I

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The first movement consists of a sonata form with a slow introduction.

Movement II

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The second movement is a simple scherzo and trio in the form of the traditional Austrian ländler[5] similar to the scherzos of his contemporaries Mahler and Rott, who they in turn where inspired by the ländler-scherzos of Bruckner. If the first movement ended in E-flat major, the tonality of the scherzo shifts to C major; the parallel major of the submediant of E-flat major, C minor[6]. Marked "giocoso", the mood is joyful and lively. From all the movements of the symphony, the second is the most outwardly Brucknerian, creating extensive textures based upon simple ostinatos. Nevertheless, this motivic treatment is usually contrasted with strong melodicism both in the strings and horns.

The main theme of the scherzo section is played first in the

Movement III

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The forth movement starts with a short slow introduction alluding to the beginig of the symphony.

Movement IV

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References

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  1. ^ "Symphony No.2, Op.29 (Weingartner, Felix) - IMSLP: Free Sheet Music PDF Download". imslp.org. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
  2. ^ "Hans Rott (1858-1884)". Mahler Foundation. 2015-01-06. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
  3. ^ "WEINGARTNER Symphony cpo 777099-2 [LF]: Classical CD Reviews- March 2006 MusicWeb-International". www.musicweb-international.com. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
  4. ^ "Symphony No.2, Op.29 (Weingartner, Felix) - IMSLP: Free Sheet Music PDF Download". imslp.org. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
  5. ^ "WEINGARTNER Symphony cpo 777099-2 [LF]: Classical CD Reviews- March 2006 MusicWeb-International". www.musicweb-international.com. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
  6. ^ "E Flat Major Scale - All About Music Theory". All About Music Theory.com. Retrieved 2023-02-14.