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Technical Notice
| Classical Composer: | Rachmaninov, Sergey |
|---|---|
| Work: | Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 27 |
| Year Composed: | 1907 |
| Instrumentation: | 3332/4331/timp.perc.glock/str |
| Publishers: |
G. Schirmer, Inc. Boosey & Hawkes Edwin F. Kalmus Schott Music |
| Duration: | 00:41:00 |
| Period: | Romantic |
| Work Category: | Orchestral |
Work Information
Available Recording(s)
Rachmaninov's Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Opus 27, is an extended work, dominated by strong lyrical feeling that has brought it a high degree of popularity. Underlying the work is the composer's recurrent idée fixe, the Dies irae, the sequence of the Latin Requiem Mass, a musical allusion to death at least since its use by Berlioz in 1830. The symphony starts with a slow introduction and a motto motif heard first in the lower strings. The step-wise outline of the motif suggests the melodic outline of much of the material that is to follow. A cor anglais leads to the main body of the movement, a sonata-allegro in which the first subject, in E minor, expanded in the central development, leads to a more lyrical G major second subject, which, in turn, forms the substance of the recapitulation. The C major second movement Scherzo, skilfully orchestrated, has a molto cantabile secondary theme and a central fugato introduced by the second violins, followed by the first and then the violas, developed before the recapitulation. The A major third movement, the epitome of romantic longing, is introduced by a violin theme that leads to an extended clarinet melody. This last is to return with the first violins and an accompanying use of the first theme, which finally triumphs, followed by an allusion to the opening motif of the symphony. The last movement starts with a vigorons dance, leading to a secondary theme that suggests and then directly quotes the opening of the slow movement. The first theme is developed in a more sinister dance, with accompanying hints of the Dies irae and references to the opening motif. The second theme is heard again before the emphatic closing section.
Writer: Keith Anderson
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