Donemus Webshop — Symphony II

Contains:
Adagio molto, con gran espressione
Allegro
Agitato-Adagio con passione
Moderato-Presto misterioso
Description:
Program note (English): [Première: 13-11-1983 - Concertgebouw Amsterdam - Concertgebouworkest, Bernard Haitink, conducting] - The Symphony no. 2 originated between November 1981 and March 1983 (in 1984, the order of the movements was modified). It is a sketch of the opera Symposion on a text by Gerrit Komrij. In this opera Tsjaikovsky's death is set against Symposion, Plato's dialogue on love. I have used parts of this symphony in the opera, not literally as it is here, but thematically. The first adagio contains a citation from Tsjaikovsky's sixth symphony and occurs in the funeral scene. It is in fact a lament on the death of a loved one, but is also a tribute. In the opera this is one of the last scenes. The second part, allegro con molto sentimento, is about the Czar, about power, false luxury and the agitation at the court. The third part, adagio con molto sentimento, is Agathons' song (alias Vladimir in Symposion), the young successful tragedy writer who eloquently praises the god of love. (In
Symposion the scene ends in an enormous oration, in which everyone bursts out in applause). The last part in the symphony, presto, is a ballet in the opera, which the protagonist Peter Iljitsj presents to his dear cousin Vladimir. That ballet represents the Vision of Aristophanes, the comical writer in Symposion, concerning primitive man who rebels against the heavens. These are double people; they have four arms and four legs. They spin like acrobats through the world, in an uprising against the heavens. They are not tolerated by the gods, because then there is no one left to serve and praise. Therefore they chop them in half; something that clearly can be heard in the music: splitting. And then they go of in search of their other half, to whom they clasp so violently that they no longer work. Then the gods invent sex, so that they can satisfy each other. And afterwards they must get to work...! - PETER SCHAT

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