related works
Arcana : suite for piano solo, 1944 / Rudolf Escher
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Piano
Scoring:
pf
Sweelinck - variaties : op. 24, febr. 1969 / Willem Frederik Bon
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Scoring:
2fl 2ob 2cl fg h cemb str(6.6.4.4.2.)
Rondo festoso : voor orkest, op. 57, 1956 / Marius Flothuis
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Scoring:
pic 2fl 2ob 2cl fg fg(cfg) 4h 3trp 3trb timp perc str
Facets : for orchestra, (1967-'68) / Walter Hekster
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Scoring:
2221 3221 xyl vibr hp pf str(8.7.6.5.4.)
composition
Symphony II : for orchestra, 1958, (revised version 1980) / Rudolf Escher
Other authors:
Escher, Rudolf
(Composer)
Contains:
Lento
Vivo
Tranquillo
Passacaglia (Larghetto con grazia)
Description:
Program note (English): [Première: 19-1-1959 - Groningen - Nederlands Studenten Orkest, Jan Brussen, conducting] - The first version of this symphony was composed in 1958, for the Dutch department of an American pharmaceutical industry with the intention that a good amateur orchestra could perform it. The Student Orchestra of the Netherlands consequently gave the first series of performances of this original version with conductor Jan Brussen during its 1959 tour. Thereafter, however, when none of the more than sixty Dutch amateur orchestras showed any interest for this work, I re-wrote it in 1964 and even later added some retouches. In this new version, which compositionally gave me a wider scope, I no longer needed to consider the limitations of an amateur orchestra. For example, not only was it now possible that the motion of the fast second movement could be continued, the flexibility in rhythmic and metric details also became considerably more balanced. In short, in each movement both the
structure and the instrumentation changed so much, that it practically became a totally new work. The only instrumental characteristic sustained was the small instrumentation of wood - and brass winds, except for trombones and tuba. On the other hand the percussion was considerably expanded, one harp replaced by two harps and a piano added to the instrumentation. Furthermore electronic amplification was set to the tubular bells, and vibraphone, bells and piano during the final chord. (part IV). -