Symphony No. 2 (Bax)

Symphony by Arnold Bax From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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.

Instrumentation

It is scored for piccolo, three flutes, two oboes, English horn, three clarinets, bass clarinet, two bassoons, double bassoon, four horns, three trumpets, two tenor trombones, bass trombone, euphonium, bass tuba, timpani, bass drum, tambourine, cymbals, xylophone, glockenspiel, celesta, piano, two harps, organ and strings.

Form

It is in three movements:

  1. Molto moderato - Allegro moderato
  2. Andante
  3. Poco largamente - Allegro feroce - Molto largamente

Overview

The opening movement is noted for its complex orchestration. The orchestra is unusually large for Bax, with the organ used solely for pedals to add a dark effect. The thematic material for the entire symphony is laid out in the Molto moderato introduction of the first movement. The Allegro moderato section which follows is a further development of the introductory material, as is the more lyrical second subject. The movement ends with the sonorous theme which was first stated by the lower woodwinds at the beginning of the symphony. A typical performance of this movement lasts 16 minutes.

The second movement begins with an ostinato on harp and the flutes, which eventually develops into a beautiful melody that forms a basis for the development of the movement. A quotation of Bax's tone poem In Memoriam is used[citation needed], and motifs are quoted from the opening movement of the symphony. A typical performance of this movement lasts 12 minutes.

The final movement continues to use the main thematic material, with a short Poco largamente introduction followed by a fast, furious Allegro feroce section. A direct quotation from the first movement is used, the main climax of the piece is reached just before the epilogue in which the symphony fades into unresolved tranquility. A typical performance of this movement lasts 11 minutes.

A Closer Look at the Score

This symphony is luxuriantly and brilliantly orchestrated. The composer's palette is expansive, but it is expertly deployed. The composer's inclusion of an instrument into the fabric of the piece is to exploit the subtle musical ambience that the instrument provides, and in this manner we are treated to a remarkable rainbow of mood and nuance throughout the piece.

First Movement

The first movement opens nearly in silence, as if the sound is emerging from the morning fog. After some initial rumblings we are presented the main theme by the woodwinds:

{ ew PianoStaff << ew Staff with { instrumentName="CA"} elative c' { set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t empo 2 = 35 set Staff.midiInstrument = #"english horn" set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = 0.2 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.7 key e minor clef treble ime 4/4 r1^markup { bold "Molto Moderato" } ees2.^accentf ees16^accent_markup { italic small declamato } ees^accent e^accent a^accent | ees2^accent~ ees8 ees^accent e^accent g^accent | fis^accent cis e^accent c^accent ees2^accent~ | ees8 r8 uplet 3/2 {ees^accent=1( e^accent a^accent=1)} uplet 3/2 {g=1( ees fis=1)} uplet 3/2 {des=1( e c!=1)} | ees4.^accent=1(_markup {italic smaller"dim" } b8=1) d8 r8 r4 | r2 r4 d16f=1( f a c=1)| ime 3/2 e8 } ew Staff with { instrumentName="Cl"} elative c' { set Staff.midiInstrument = #"clarinet" set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = 0.2 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.7 ransposition a key c minor clef treble ime 4/4 r1 b2.^accentf b16^accent_markup { italic small declamato } b^accent c^accent f^accent | b,2^accent~ b8 b^accent c^accent ees^accent | d^accent a c^accent a^accent b2^accent~ | b8 r8 uplet 3/2 {b^accent=1( c^accent f^accent=1)} uplet 3/2 {ees=1( b d=1)} uplet 3/2 {a=1( c aes=1)} | ces4.^accent=1(_markup {italic smaller"dim" } g8=1) bes4.=1( f8=1) | a2pp~ a8_markup {italic smaller "cresc."} r16 ges16=1( bes des f aes=1) | < des, aes' c >8sfz } ew Staff with { instrumentName="BC"} elative c' { set Staff.midiInstrument = #"clarinet" set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = 0.2 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.7 ransposition a key c minor clef treble ime 4/4 e,1ppp=1~| e~ | e~ | e~ | e~ | e~_markup {italic smaller "dim." } | e2~pp_markup{italic smaller "cresc."} e8 r8 r4 r8 } ew Staff with { instrumentName="Bn"} elative c' { set Staff.midiInstrument = #"bassoon" set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = 0.2 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.7 key c major clef bass ime 4/4 cis,,8ppp r8 r4 r2 set Staff.clefGlyph = "clefs.C" des'2.^accentf des16^accent_markup { italic small declamato } des^accent d^accent g^accent | des2^accent~ des8 des^accent d^accent f^accent | e^accent bis d^accent b^accent des2^accent~ | des8 r8 uplet 3/2 {des^accent=1( d^accent g^accent=1)} uplet 3/2 {f=1( des e=1)} uplet 3/2 {bis=1( d b=1)} | des4.^accent=1(_markup {italic smaller"dim" } a8=1) c4.=1( g8=1) | set Staff.clefGlyph = "clefs.F" ges'2pp_markup {italic smaller "cresc."}~ ges8 c,16f=1( ees g bes d f | a8=1)sf } ew Staff with { instrumentName="CB"} elative c' { set Staff.midiInstrument = #"bassoon" set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = 0.2 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.7 key c major clef bass ime 4/4 ces,,1ppp=1~| ces1~ | ces1~ | ces1~ | ces1~ | ces1~_markup {italic smaller "dim." } | ces2~pp_markup{italic smaller "cresc."} ces8 r8 r4 r8 } >> }

Further presentation of this theme with embellishment continues and pace picks up and we are then presented a 2nd theme this time by the clarinets:

{ ew PianoStaff << ew Staff with { instrumentName="Cl."} elative c' { set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t empo 2 = 52 set Staff.midiInstrument = #"clarinet" set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = 0.2 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.7 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.7 ransposition a key g minor clef treble ime 2/4 r4 r8.^markup {smaller "Soli"}_markup {italic smaller "poco"} <d a'>16f^markup {italic smaller "molto ritmico" } | <f bes>8.^accent <e a>16 <f bes>8.^accent <d a'>16 | <f bes>8^staccato <bes, g'>8^staccato <d a'>4^accent~| <d a'>8[ <bes f'>^staccato <d g>^staccato <e a>^staccato] | << elative { bes'8 a16=1( f a4=1)} elative { f'8 d4=2( uplet 3/2 {e16 d c=2) }} >> | << elative { g'8^staccato[ a^staccato bes^staccato c^staccato]} elative { bes8staccato[ dstaccato fstaccato estaccato]<} >> | << elative { d''8^staccato e^staccato d^staccato bes16=1( g=1)} elative {g'8 a g e } >> | << elative { f'8^accent f16=1( a=1) e8^accent e16=2( g=2)} elative { des'4! c} >> | <b d>2^accentf | } >> }

This theme with some variability continues to be presented by various groups of instruments, and we then proceed toward the end of the movement, where the pace softens to present this line from the string:

{ ew PianoStaff << ew Staff with { instrumentName="Va"} elative c' { set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t empo 2 = 27 set Staff.midiInstrument = #"string ensemble 1" set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = 0.2 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.7 key e major clef alto ime 4/4 a'8p^markup { iny "arco"}_markup {italic iny "cantabile"} a< a8. a16!> gis8 enuto=1( fis!=1) fis4 | fis8=1(< gis a=1) b a=2(!> gis=2) cis,=3( e! | fis8[ fis] fis[ gis] fis=1( b,=1) b4~ | b8 e upletUp uplet 3/2 {e enuto=1( e enuto e enuto=1)} dis=2(_markup {italic iny "dim."} cis=2) fis4 | } ew Staff with { instrumentName="Cel"} elative c' { set Staff.midiInstrument = #"string ensemble 1" set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = 0.2 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.7 key e major clef tenor set Staff.clefPosition = 2 ime 4/4 a'8p^markup { iny "arco"}_markup {italic iny "cantabile"} a< 8. a16!> gis8 enuto=1( fis!=1) fis4 | fis8=1(< gis a=1) b a=2(!> gis=2) cis,=3( e=3)! | fis8[ fis] fis[ gis] fis=1( b,=1) b4~ | b8 e upletUp uplet 3/2 {e enuto=1( e enuto e enuto=1)} dis=2(_markup {italic iny "dim."} cis=2) fis4 | } ew Staff with { instrumentName="B"} elative c' { set Staff.midiInstrument = #"pizzicato strings" set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = 0.2 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.7 key e major clef bass ime 4/4 << elative { fis2p dis} elative { fis8 r8 r4 dis8 r8 r4} >> | << elative { fis2 gis} elative { fis8 r8 r4 gis8 r8 r4} >> | << elative { fis2 d} elative { fis8 r8 r4 d8 r8 r4} >> | <cis, cis>8 r c^markup { eeny "Tutti pizz."} r b r uplet 3/2 { r_markup {italic eeny "dim."} a gis } | } >> }

Second Movement

The main theme in the 2nd movement is presented by the strings:

{ ew PianoStaff << ew Staff with { instrumentName="V"} elative c' { set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t empo 2 = 30 set Staff.midiInstrument = #"string ensemble 1" set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = 0.2 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.7 key b major clef treble ime 3/4 r4 r r8 fis8p | b_markup {italic eeny "cantabile" }=1( cis dis4=1) cis8 b | ime 4/4 cis4 fis,2~ fis8 fis | ime 3/4 fis=1( gis b4=1) cis8=2( fis,8=2) | dis'2_markup {italic eeny "un poco cresc"}~dis8 dis8 | ime 4/4 fis=1( e dis2=1) cis8=2( b | ime 3/4 cis4=2) fis,2~ | fis8 fis4 gis8 b[=1( gis]=1) | dis'4< cis~ cis8 fis! | ime 4/4 fisf=1( gis a2=1)< gis8=1( fis! | ime 3/4 gis4=1)> fis4. fis8!p | e=1( fis g4=1) e8=1( c=1) | d2_markup {italic eeny "cresc." } fis,4 | b8_markup {italic eeny "poco" bold italic f} ( cis) d4 cis8( b) | uplet 3/2 {cis( e cis} fis,4.)< fis8! | fis(_markup {italic eeny "poco" italic eeny bold sfp} gis b dis) (cismordent b) | fis'2< gis4! | } >> }

This theme is explore a little further, then the landscape is suddenly transformed as if by a fresh spring breeze, and we are presented a beautiful fluttering melody by woodwinds (oboe with flute first, then with cor anglais) set among tremolo strings and accompanied by harps and celesta, here is this expanded extraction:

Page 1Page 2Page 3Page 4Page 5

Third Movement

The third movement begins ominously with tremolo strings and a brass fanfare:

{ ew PianoStaff << ew Staff with { instrumentName="FH"} elative c' { set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t empo 2 = 30 set Staff.midiInstrument = #"french horn" set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = 0.2 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.9 ransposition f key c major clef treble ime 4/4 << elative { r2^markup {bold "Poco largemente"} r4 gis'4accent} elative { r4ff g2accent< cis4accent!} >> | << elative {dis''1accent} elative { dis'1sf} >> | << elative { r2 r8 gis'8accentsf dis'4accent~} elative { r4 g4accent~ g8 cis dis4accent~} >> | << elative { dis''2.~ dis8 r8} elative {dis'2.~ dis8 r8} >> | r1 | } ew Staff with { instrumentName="FH"} elative c' { set Staff.midiInstrument = #"french horn" set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = 0.2 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.9 ransposition f key c major clef treble ime 4/4 << elative { r2 r4 eis'4accent} elative { r4ff g2accent< cis4accent!} >> | << elative {dis''1accent} elative { gis'1sf} >> | << elative { r2 r8 eis'8accentsf dis'4accent~} elative { r4 g4accent~ g8 cis gis'4accent~} >> | << elative { dis''2.~ dis8 r8} elative {gis'2.~ gis8 r8} >> | r1 | } ew Staff with { instrumentName="Tr"} elative c' { set Staff.midiInstrument = #"trumpet" set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = 0.2 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.9 key c major clef treble ime 4/4 r4f c2^accent< fis4^accent! | cis'1sfaccent r4 c,!4^accent~< c8 fis8^accent cis'4sf!accent~ | cis2.~ cis8 r8 | r1 | } ew Staff with { instrumentName="Tr"} elative c' { set Staff.midiInstrument = #"trumpet" set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = 0.2 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.9 key c major clef treble ime 4/4 r4faccent c2^accent< cis4^accent! | e1sf^accent r4 c!4^accent<~ c8 cis^accent e4sf^accent!~ | e2.~ e8 r8 | r1 | } ew Staff with { instrumentName="Tn"} elative c' { set Staff.midiInstrument = #"trombone" set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = 0.2 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.9 key c major clef bass ime 4/4 << elative { r4^accent g2^accent ais4} elative { r4f ees2accent< fis4accent!} >> | << elative {cis'1accent} elative { gis1sf} >> | << elative {r4 g!4accent~ g8 ais cis4sfaccent~} elative {r4 ees4~< ees8 fis g4!~ } >> | << elative {cis'2.~ cis8 r8} elative {g2.~ g8 r8} >> | r1 | } ew Staff with { instrumentName="Tn"} elative c' { set Staff.midiInstrument = #"trombone" set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = 0.2 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.9 key c major clef bass ime 4/4 r4f g,2^accent< cis4^accent! | e1sfaccent | r4 g,4^accent<~ g8 cis^accent e4accent!sf~ | e2.~ e8 r8 | r1 | } ew Staff with { instrumentName="Tb"} elative c { set Staff.midiInstrument = #"tuba" set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = 0.2 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.9 key d major clef bass ime 4/4 r4f d,2^accent< gis4^accent! | dis'1sfaccent | r4 d,!4^accent<~ d8 gis^accent dis'4accent!sf~ | dis2.~ dis8 r8 | r1 | } ew Staff with { instrumentName="Tb"} elative c { set Staff.midiInstrument = #"tuba" set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = 0.2 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.9 key c major clef bass ime 4/4 r1 | r1 | r1 | r8 c,!4faccent< fis8accent cis'4accent! ais16accent gaccent eaccent disaccent | c!4accent>~ c8! r8 r2 | } ew Staff with { instrumentName="C"} elative c { set Staff.midiInstrument = #"string ensemble 1" set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = 0.2 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.9 key c major clef bass ime 4/4 c,1:32ffaccent | c:32 | c:32 | c8 c4accent<^markup {italic iny "molto marcato"} fis8accent cis'4accent ais16accent! gaccent eaccent disaccent | c!4accent>~ c8! r8 r2 | } ew Staff with { instrumentName="CB"} elative c { set Staff.midiInstrument = #"string ensemble 1" set Staff.midiMinimumVolume = 0.2 set Staff.midiMaximumVolume = 0.9 key c major clef bass ime 4/4 c,1:32ffaccent | c:32 | c:32 | c8 c4accent<^markup {italic iny "molto marcato"} fis8accent cis'4accent ais16accent! gaccent eaccent disaccent | c!4accent>~ c8! r8 r2 | } >> }

Notable recordings

References

  • "IMSLP Music Library". IMSLP Music Library.
  • Bax Symphony No. 2. Murdoch, Murdoch and Company.

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