Symphony No. 2 (Penderecki)

Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki wrote his Symphony No. 2 during the winter of 1979–80. Sometimes referred to as the "Christmas Symphony" (quotations of the Christmas carol "Silent Night" occur repeatedly throughout the symphony), neither the score nor the parts (Schott Music, Mainz 45 791) make any reference to this moniker.

Structure

The symphony, lasting 30–35 minutes, is in one movement employing a modified sonata form. Sectons are marked: Moderato, Allegretto, Lento, Tempo I and Allegretto.

Analysis

The harmonic idiom of the symphony is unabashedly tonal and romantic, akin to that of Bruckner, and was seen by many at the time of the symphony's completion as a betrayal to the prevailing avant-garde style, to which Penderecki himself had previously contributed significantly (as demonstrated in his Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima). However, this reversion to a romantic style had already been hinted at in his St. Luke Passion and Violin Concerto No. 1 of a few years earlier. This change in style was to become permanent, and his music since has been coined as neo-romantic in style.. There are audible allusions in the first Allegretto to Suk's Asrael Symphony and in the Lento to Shostakovich.

Instrumentation

Piccolo, flutes (2), oboes (2), cor anglais, clarinets (3 in E flat, with bass clarinets), bassoons (2), contrabassoon, horns (5), trumpets (3), trombones (3), tubas (1), percussion (4 performers: triangle, gong, beck., tamtam, mil. tr., gr. tr., tubular bells, glockenspiel, xylophone), celesta, strings.^[1]

Premiere

The New York Philharmonic, conducted by Zubin Mehta, gave the first performance of the symphony on May 1, 1980.^[2]

Recordings

Orchestra	Conductor	Record company	Year of Recording	Format
National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra of Katowice (Polskie Radio. Wielka Orkiestra Symfoniczna w Katowicach)[3]	Jacek Kasprzyk	Muza	1981	LP
Norddeutscher Rundfunk. Sinfonie-Orchester	Krzysztof Penderecki	Wergo	1994[4]	CD
National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra (Katowice)	Antoni Wit	Naxos Records	2000[5]	CD

References

1. "Schott Music Shop: Penderecki 2. Symphony". Retrieved 2014-06-26.
2. Robinson, Ray. "Krzystof Penderecki: A Guide to His Works". Prestige Publications: Princeton, 1983, p.20.
3. OCLC 81575760
4. "Penderecki Partial Discography at Polmic.pl" (in Polish). Retrieved 2009-01-26. Information elsewhere shows(?) that this was released in 1994 but recorded in 1989, so in any case postdates the Muza recording.
5. OCLC 45109918