WILMINGTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
  • Home
  • About
    • Conductor
    • Orchestra >
      • Hire Our Musicians
      • Musician Bios
    • Board and Staff
    • WSO Historical Timeline
    • Auditions & Employment
    • WSYO Alumni >
      • Alumni Bios
    • Press Room
  • Concerts & Tickets
    • 2022-2023 Season >
      • Gullah-Geechee Heritage
      • Classical Connections
      • Shostakovich Fifth Symphony
    • Education Concert
    • Wilmington POPS!
    • Youth Concerts
    • COVID-19
  • Education
    • Wilmington Symphony Youth Orchestras >
      • Youth Orchestra
      • Junior Strings
      • Rockestra
    • WSYO Chamber Ensemble Program
    • Concerto Competition
  • Contribute
    • Individual Giving >
      • Donor Advised Funds
    • Events
    • Corporate and Foundation Support
    • Music Underwriting
    • Legacy Gifts and Endowment
    • SUPPORT
  • FOR MUSICIANS

Symphony No. 2 in C Major, Op. 61 1845

9/5/2011

0 Comments

 
ROBERT SCHUMANN
1810 – 1856
Symphony No. 2 in C Major, Op. 61 1845


Few dispute that Robert Schumann was the most romantic of the Romantics, with musicologists talking of the new “hero” of the Romantic Era. In his approach to composition Schumann was the musical dissenter of his time. He saw little reason to honor the Classical structure because he recognized its strict limitations. As a result the adventurous Schumann was uncertain and melancholy even during his most productive years. He was plagued by personal psychological struggles and held concern for the future of the symphonic form since the most influential innovators of the time, Beethoven and Schubert, were in their graves.

It was in 1841 at the end of one of his many mental and physical convalescent periods that Schumann began working in symphonic form.

In his Symphony No. 2 the movements are interrelated by a recurrence of themes.

First Movement: The first motif appears in the brass during the brooding slow introduction to the first movement and returns later amid the turbulence of that same movement and is repeated again briefly in the second and fourth movements. Schumann wrote, “It is filled with struggle and is very capricious and obstinate in character.” The brass fanfare is heard simultaneously with a wavy theme pitched low in the strings. That line is as harmonically ambiguous as the brass fanfare is decisive. The music increases gradually, gaining tempo and conflicts erupt and warring elements clash before the finale, giving the impression that the darkness has been momentarily lifted.

Second Movement: This fast scherzo is a happy, spirited showcase for strings. The pace lets up for the movement’s two contrasting trios — the first being a melody shared by strings and woodwinds, while the second is a subdued meditation for strings and woodwinds. In the end, the brasses sing out their fanfare from the first movement.

Third Movement: This movement has long been regarded as one of the composer’s most sublime musical sections. Melancholic and tranquil, solo opportunities are provided for oboe, clarinet and bassoon.

Fourth Movement: From the robust march-like beginning to the long, optimistic ending, it is clear that Schumann has regained good physical and mental health. The joyful finale sweeps away the clouds that have been hanging over the symphony. The gentle theme (a solo oboe) appearing midway is by Beethoven from his song cycle To the Distant Beloved. The composer is paying tribute to his beloved wife Clara.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Steven Errante, conductor

    Program Notes

    Unless indicated, all program notes are researched and written by Dr. Steven Errante.

    Archives

    April 2022
    December 2021
    September 2021
    March 2020
    January 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    October 2018
    August 2018
    January 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    October 2016
    September 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    October 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    February 2014
    October 2013
    September 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    April 2012
    February 2012
    December 2011
    September 2011

    Quick Search

    All
    2014-15 Season Preview
    Aaron Copland
    Adagio For Strings
    Airs From Moravia
    A Musical Sleigh Ride 1755
    A New Day
    Anton Dvorak
    Barbara Gallagher
    Brahms’ Germany
    Christmas Carols
    Claude Debussy
    Concerto For Violin And Strings
    Cradle Songs
    Der Rosenkavalier Suite
    Dmitri Kabalevsky
    Dmitri Shostakovich
    Dumka
    Edvard V. Grieg
    El Salon Mexico
    Errante Anniversary
    Four Last Songs
    Fruhlingsstimmen
    George Frideric Handel
    Gloria
    Gospel Music
    Hector Berlioz
    Holberg Suite
    Jean-Philippe Rameau
    Johannes Brahms
    Johann Strauss II
    John Rutter
    Leonard Bernstein
    Leopold Mozart
    Little Russian
    Ludwig Van Beethoven
    Ma Mere L’Oye
    Maurice Ravel
    Mother Goose Suite
    Mozart
    Mozart’s Austria
    Music From
    Ode To Joy
    Overture To The Marriage Of Figaro
    Pavane Of The Sleeping Princess
    Peteris Vasks
    Piano Concerto #23 In A Major
    Piano Concerto No. 1 In Bb Minor
    Praeludium And Allegro
    Ravel's Boléro
    Richard Strauss
    Rose Cavalier
    Samuel Barber
    Selections From Messiah
    Serenade No. 1 Opus 16
    Slavonic Dances
    Sleeping Beauty
    Songs Of The Civil Rights Movement
    Symphony No. 2
    Symphony No. 2 In D Minor
    Symphony No. 9 In D Minor 1824
    Symphony No. 9 In E Flat Majo
    Tchaikovsky
    The Corsair
    The Marriage Of Figaro
    Trumpet Concerto In A-flat Major
    Violin Concerto In C Major
    Waltz
    Wolfgang Mozart

    RSS Feed

Picture
5032 Randall Parkway
Wilmington, NC 28403
(910) 791-9262

EMAIL US
Picture
E-SUBSCRIBE
BOARD PORTAL
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
©2000-21 Wilmington Symphony Orchestra  |  www.WilmingtonSymphony.org    |    All Rights Reserved  
  • Home
  • About
    • Conductor
    • Orchestra >
      • Hire Our Musicians
      • Musician Bios
    • Board and Staff
    • WSO Historical Timeline
    • Auditions & Employment
    • WSYO Alumni >
      • Alumni Bios
    • Press Room
  • Concerts & Tickets
    • 2022-2023 Season >
      • Gullah-Geechee Heritage
      • Classical Connections
      • Shostakovich Fifth Symphony
    • Education Concert
    • Wilmington POPS!
    • Youth Concerts
    • COVID-19
  • Education
    • Wilmington Symphony Youth Orchestras >
      • Youth Orchestra
      • Junior Strings
      • Rockestra
    • WSYO Chamber Ensemble Program
    • Concerto Competition
  • Contribute
    • Individual Giving >
      • Donor Advised Funds
    • Events
    • Corporate and Foundation Support
    • Music Underwriting
    • Legacy Gifts and Endowment
    • SUPPORT
  • FOR MUSICIANS