Mozart - String Quartet No. 19 in C Major 'Dissonant'

Two of the greatest composers of the classical music era happened to be good friends. Although there was 24 years difference between Mozart and the older Haydn, they came to know and respect one another during the winter months that Haydn spent in Vienna. There are many anecdotes concerning the two and their genuine affection and respect for one another.  As for Mozart's thoughts on Haydn, the following is an example:

At a private party a new work of Joseph Haydn was being performed. Besides Mozart there were a number of other musicians present, among them a certain man who was never known to praise anyone but himself. He was standing next to Mozart and found fault with one thing after another. For a while Mozart listened patiently; when he could bear it no longer and the fault-finder once more conceitedly declared: "I would not have done that", Mozart retorted: "Neither would I but do you know why? Because neither of us could have thought of anything so appropriate."

Joseph Haydn 

As for Haydn's opinion of Mozart, he told Mozart's father Leopold the following:

"Before God and as an honest man I tell you that your son is the greatest composer known to me either in person or by name; he has taste, and, furthermore, the most profound knowledge of composition."

It was Haydn's influence that set Mozart to writing string quartets, with an excellent set of six quartets published in 1785 and dedicated to Haydn. Quartet No. 19 in C Major was the last one in this set.

I. Adagio - Allegro - The first movement of this quartet begins with a slow introduction. It was this slow introduction with its daring (for the time at least) harmonies that led to the nickname 'dissonant'. It's been said that some music dealers returned the manuscripts to the publisher because they thought these harmonies were mistakes, and that a Hungarian nobleman got so angry over the supposed mistakes that he tore up the music. Even Haydn was initially shocked by the dissonance, but his faith in his friend didn't waver. He eventually defended his friend by saying, "Well, if Mozart wrote it, he must have meant it.”  Mozart's dissonant introduction stands in stark contrast to the music of the rest of the movement.

II. Andante cantabile - This movement is in sonatina form, which is sonata form without the development section.

III. Menuetto, Allegro - An elegant minuet in the home key of C major with a contrasting trio section in the  parallel key of C minor.

IV. Allegro molto - Written in sonata form, this music returns to the mood of the first movement.

Bortkiewicz - Piano Concerto No. 2 For Left Hand Alone

As if playing the piano with two hands isn't challenge enough, there is a sizable repertoire of music for the left hand alone. Why music for only one hand at the piano? The reasons are many. In a world where right-handed people vastly outnumber left handed people, the invention of the keyboard naturally favored the right hand. The melody is most often carried in the right hand, while the left is accompaniment.  But there is plenty of keyboard music written that demands much of both hands, hence some left hand piano music was written to help develop it enough to play the more demanding music of composers.

Paul Wittgenstein

In some cases, loss or severe injury to the right hand of some pianists have left them with only the left hand to play with. Such is the case of Paul Wittgenstein, an Austrian pianist. He served in World War One, was wounded in the right elbow and had to have his right arm amputated while he was in a Russian prisoner of war camp in Siberia. He was a classically trained pianist, and was determined to continue his pursuit of a career of a concert pianist after the war. There were some pieces for left hand alone and he transcribed other works for his own use, but the fact that Wittgenstein was the son of
a wealthy industrialist offered him the opportunity to commission works for left hand alone from some of the top composers in the first half of the 20th century. He commissioned works from Maurice Ravel, Richard Strauss, Paul Hindemith, Benjamin Britten, Sergei Bortkiewicz and others.

Wittgenstein played the premiere of the Bortkiewicz concerto in 1923 in Vienna. Wittgenstein was pleased with the work and played it many times before World War Two.  As with all of the works Wittgenstein commissioned, he held exclusive performing rights to the concerto until his death in 1961. Even after that, Wittgenstein's widow would not allow the scores to leave his library. It has been only within the past few years that some of this left-handed piano repertoire has become available.

The concerto is divided into four tempo sections, but can be thought of as being in two distinct movements in a unique form:

Allegro dramatico - The composer begins with a loud theme for orchestra, after which the solo piano enters with a dramatic melody which is taken up by the orchestra while the piano accompanies with figures that make the listener forget that there is only one hand being used.  The second theme is traded off between piano and orchestra and is of a more quiet but still restless nature.
Allegretto - The next section acts as the usual slow movement in a concerto. New themes are stated, the piano has an extended solo, and the orchestra assumes a more gentle demeanor as the piano and orchestra engage in an atmospheric dialog.
Allegro dramatico - The material from the beginning interrupts with what amounts to the recapitulation of this first movement.
Allegro vivo - The music of this second movement is in contrast to what has transpired. It is an uncomplicated but interesting dance that unwinds into a rousing finish to the concerto.

The skill and artistry in which Bortkiewicz writes for the left hand and orchestra makes this concerto one of my favorites.  A solid knowledge of piano technique and use of left-hand devices and pedalling creates an illusion so strong that if the listener didn't know better, they would think this is being played by two hands.

Schubert - Symphony No. 2 In B-flat

Franz Schubert's gifts showed themselves early, and by the time he was a teenager he was writing symphonies for full orchestra. His first symphony was written in 1813 when he was sixteen years old, and as soon as it was completed he began work on his second symphony which he began late in 1814 and finished in the spring of 1815.  During this time Schubert was a schoolmaster, having been trained to follow in his  father's profession. He soon grew tired of the monotony of teaching and quit his schoolmaster's duties in 1818 to devote himself to music.

Schubert's education included time in the Imperial and Royal Seminary in Vienna as a chorister. He also played in the school orchestra, which played music every evening. Schubert was exposed to a great deal of music during his time at the Seminary in Vienna, especially the music of Mozart, which remained a favorite of his.

The public performance of the Second Symphony wasn't given until 1877, many years after Schubert's death, but Schubert dedicated the symphony to his music master at the Seminary and the symphony could have had it's first performance by the school orchestra.

The symphony is in 4 movements:

I. Largo - Allegro vivace - Schubert begins with an introduction consisting of a robust fanfare that leads into a slow, lyrical section. This soon give way to the beginning of the first movement proper, written in sonata form. The first theme chatters away in the tonic key of B-flat which is followed by a second theme that is not in the expected dominant key of F major, but is in E-flat major.  After a working out of themes in the development, the recapitulation appears. Schubert keeps the music lyrically moving, and the movement ends in the tonic key.

II . Andante - The second movement is a set of five variations on an original theme. The orchestration is varied as well as the theme itself as Schubert makes music that is reminiscent of Mozart and Haydn.

III. Menuetto - Music in the style of Haydn's peasant-stomp minuets.

IV. - Presto - Rapid music in rondo form. Already at age seventeen, Schubert shows a remarkable deftness for harmonic surprises that go against convention, but still make musical sense.

Bortkiewicz - Piano Concerto No. 3 'Per aspera ad astra'

Sergei Bortkiewicz began his musical education in St. Petersburg, and went on to the Leipzig Conservatory to study. He made a few trips back to Russia after his studies but remained in Germany for the most part, where he taught at the conservatory and toured as a piano recitalist until the First World War.  After the war began, he was put under house arrest and was forced to return to the town of his birth, Kharkiv in the Ukraine, where he stayed on the family estate (his parents were of the Polish nobility) until the Red Army confiscated the estate after the Russian Revolution of 1917.

He escaped under great political danger by steam ship to Turkey where he landed in Constantinople in 1919.  He gave concerts, and eventually obtained a visa, went to Yugoslavia and ended up in Austria in 1922. He obtained Austrian citizenship in 1925 while he was in Vienna, and remained in that city for five years.

It was while the composer was in Vienna that he wrote his Piano Concerto No. 3 in 1926. He had been through many hardships since the First World War, and this was a time of relative calm in his life. The concerto is subtitled per aspera ad astra, which translates from Latin to mean 'from hardship to the stars', or 'through resistance to light', which takes on deep significance due to the composer's hardships.

The concerto is in five sections, which are played without a break.

I. Grave - The concerto begins with the contra-bassoon uttering a theme in its lowest register in the key of c minor. After a short dialogue with the piano, the music transforms into the first of two themes - the first of which is dramatic while the second is more lyrical. The dramatic theme reappears and leads to the next section. The structure of this section is basically an introduction and sonata form first movement. The structure is very tight and condensed, almost to the point of being terse.

II. Cadenza - The solo piano cadenza is in the tradition of the classical first - movement concerto cadenzas, but there is no recapitulation of the themes after it. Bortkiewicz leads directly to the next section.

III. Andante - This section sees the piano take on the role of 'star' with some of the themes, and also in accompanying the orchestra. Rich keyboard figures and thick chords alternate with bare octaves as Bortkiewicz's gift of melody is shown. This is the longest single section of the concerto.

IV. Lento, Maestoso, Solenne -  The richness of the music continues as the music hearkens back to some of the other themes already heard. The piano's accompanying figures ripple and glitter up and down the keyboard as the orchestra states material that grows more familiar. The piano alternates from the background to the foreground as the music grows more majestic and solemn.

V. Moderato - What at first sounds like a solemn ending to the concerto leads to the final section where the end of the struggle is starting to shine in the light of the stars. The music grows more into the key of C major as modulations grow and swell into the light of the closing theme which is richly repeated. With strings shimmering,  the rest of the orchestra is punctuated by brilliant figures on the piano until bells are added to the already glistening orchestra and soloist, and the music ends in a brightness of light.

Bortkiewicz is compared to Rachmaninoff, and there are similarities. His melodic gift was great, his workmanship likewise. He was an unabashed late Romantic  who didn't embrace 20th century music innovations.   And the more I hear his music, the better I like it. He is one of my favorite lesser-known composers.


 

Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 3 In A Major

Beethoven followed in the footsteps of Mozart and Haydn, the two giants of late 18th century music and composed in most of the forms they used. As with many creative artists, he used forms and conventions as blueprints for his own ideas and transformed  the traditional forms of expression into something very personal. So it is that having a set of guidelines and rules doesn't stifle creativity for those who have the spark of creative genius within them, but can actually enhance their artistry.

Baron Ignaz von Gleichenstein

Beethoven was the first major composer to write sonatas for solo cello and piano,  and his 5 sonatas for cello are important additions to the literature. The third cello sonata in A major was written in 1808, a period of intense compositional activity that saw the creation of many of Beethoven's most well-known pieces such as the 5th Symphony and the Violin Concerto.  It was dedicated to Baron Ignaz von Gleichenstein, an amateur cellist, close friend of Beethoven, and one of a group of music lovers that paid Beethoven an annual fee to entice him to stay in Vienna.  Beethoven probably dedicated this sonata to him out of gratitude.

The sonata is in three movements:
I. Allegro ma non tanto - The sonata opens with the primary theme stated by the cello alone. The cello holds the final note of the theme as the piano restates it. Beethoven expands the usual number of themes heard in a movement written in sonata form by the addition of two contrasting secondary themes. In the development section, the primary theme is varied and contrasted with the other themes and the mood changes abruptly and often. The recapitulation begins with the original theme played by the cello but unlike the opening it is accompanied by the piano. There is a short coda, and the movement ends forte.

II. Scherzo : Allegro molto - This is the only scherzo found in the cello sonatas, and the theme begins on the upbeat. The syncopated theme continues throughout the scherzo, including the trio section.

Beethoven repeats the trio of this scherzo when the usual form calls for playing it only once. He did this in other scherzos of this period as well.  

III. Adagio cantabile, Allegro vivace - This sonata has no separate slow movement save for the short Adagio cantabile that opens the finale. It acts as a contrast to the previously heard nervous scherzo and the joyous final movement. It is in sonata form with a jaunty first theme and a more lyrical second theme. The development section gives the players the opportunity of lending their virtuosity to musical expression that covers the ranges of both instruments. The themes progress to the end, and after many excursions afield, the work ends solidly in A major.

Rachmaninoff - Symphony No. 2 in E Minor

Sergei Rachmaninoff was an immensely gifted pianist and fine orchestral conductor, but he thought of himself first and foremost as a composer. In his earlier years while still in Russia, he composed most of his 45 opus numbered works. With the political and cultural upheaval brought about by the Russian Revolution of 1917,  Rachmaninoff lost his livelihood (his family were members of the bourgeoisie) and fled the country, never to return.

From 1917 until his death in 1943, Rachmaninoff was constantly on tour in Europe and the United States as pianist and conductor to provide for his family and had little time or inclination to compose. He composed only six more opus numbers during those years.  His prodigious memory was legendary, along with his singing piano tone, quiet demeanor at the keyboard, and his huge hands. He was one of the great piano virtuosos of the 20th century.

His success as a composer came while he was still a student. His one-act opera Aleko was written in 1892 and was such a success that the Bolshoi Theater agreed to perform it.  The Symphony No. 2 was written in 1906-07 and was first performed in 1908 at St. Petersburg with the composer conducting.

The symphony is in 4 movements:
I. Largo, Allegro moderato - The symphony begins with a slow introduction with the low strings stating the main motif that will appear in various forms in all four of the movements. This motif dominates the introduction and main section of the movement as it begins quietly and slowly and through variations transforms into powerful music played by the full orchestra. The secondary theme of the movement has the strings and woodwinds alternate until the theme ends quietly. The development section begins with a solo violin initially playing the main theme which is again transformed into rapidly moving variants until a passionate climax is reached. The recapitulation begins, the second theme is emphasized in the parallel key of E major. The end of the movement returns to the home key of E minor and brings the opening movement to a resounding close.

II. Allegro molto -  Unlike many symphonic scherzos that are written in three beats to the measure, this one is written in two beats to the measure. It is in the usual scherzo-trio-scherzo form, but the scherzo itself has two contrasting themes, as does the trio. It's a combination of the traditional scherzo with aspects of sonata form also. The second theme of the scherzo itself resembles the main motif of the first movement in motion and rhythm.

III. Adagio - Along with an innate sense of rich orchestration, Rachmaninoff is also well-known for a remarkable gift of melody. One of his best melodies is heard here as the movement begins with the violin and then the main theme of the movement (which itself is related to the main motif of the first movement) is played by the solo clarinet. The movement has two other themes that Rachmaninoff states and then weaves them contrapuntally with the initial theme.

IV. Allegro vivace - The last movement begins brilliantly in E major. The initial theme is interrupted by a secondary theme, after which the initial theme returns. It soon makes way for a broad theme that the orchestra sings at length. A brief reference is made to material from the third movement which leads to the development of themes, a repeat of the themes, and a rousing ending to the work.

Rachmaninoff refers to differing themes within and without movements, all of which are related to the very first motif heard in the low strings in the slow introduction. This gives a structural and aural continuity to the entire work which helps it to be liked and appreciated by experienced concert listeners as well as casual listeners. It's one of the best examples I know of music that just 'sounds' right to many ears. The work of a master musician and composer, one of Rachmaninoff's finest compositions.

Weber - Clarinet Concerto In F Minor

Many composers have written concertos for solo instrument and orchestra with a specific soloist in mind. Sometimes the performer was the composer themselves.  In the beginning of the Romantic era it was the norm for musicians to enter the music scene of the times with their own compositions.  All of the great composer/performers from Beethoven to Brahms and many others were soloists in their own works.

Composers also wrote for performers for instruments besides their own. Such was the case with Weber's Clarinet Concerto in F Minor.  It was written in 1811, a time of transition for the clarinet. Improvements were made to make it more chromatic and flexible, and one of the most well-known of the virtuosos of the improved instrument was Heinrich Bärmann. He played in the court orchestra of Munich from 1807 until he retired in 1834. His son was also a virtuoso on the instrument.  Bärmann exploited the improvements on the instrument and was known for his tone and wide dynamic range.

The concerto is in the traditional three movements:
I. Allegro - The work begins with the cellos and double basses stating the main theme with accompaniment

Heinrich Bärmann

by the violas and violins. After the initial statement of the theme, the full orchestra blurts out a double-forte chord, and the theme is played by the violins. The orchestra sets the stage for the entrance of the clarinet with hushed sounds. The clarinet enters with a different melody. Weber's writing for soloist is in turn brilliant and plaintive, with the orchestra being more than an accompaniment. Changes of key ensue as the main theme is once again stated by the low strings, the clarinet finally utters a sad song as the movement quietly winds down and dies away. Weber's flair for orchestration is evident in this first movement, as well as the entire work. The instruments are as if they were singers in a dramatic scene of an opera.
II. Adagio ma non troppo -  Weber uses three horns in this movement, and has them alone play with the clarinet through some sections. The movement moves from minor agitation to solemn dignity as the clarinet sings its way through the movement.
III. Rondo; Allegretto - The clarinet shows the agility it can have in the hands of a master performer as it dances the lively tune of the finale.

The clarinet is a unique member of the orchestra. It is a single-reed instrument with a cylindrical bore (the bassoon and oboe are double reed instruments with a conical bore.) In the hands of a good musician it can have one of the widest dynamic ranges of any instrument. It has three distinct registers or tone qualities, from the rich, deep and breathy chalumeau register(from the ancestor of the clarinet the chalumeau ) to the bright and clear clarion register (a type of early trumpet with a bright sound)to the brilliant and sometimes piercing altissimo register(Italian for very high).  Weber uses all of these registers and qualities of the instrument in his concerto and it is one of the gems of the repertoire.

 

Liszt - Hunnenschlacht (Battle Of The Huns)

In 1847 Liszt gave up his life as a traveling piano virtuoso and devoted himself to musical composition. He had been made honorary music director at the court of Wiemar in 1842, and after his retirement he moved there.  He composed all but one of his symphonic poems in Wiemar from 1848-1858.

As music director, Liszt was also conductor of the court orchestra. He helped to expose the music of Berlioz, Wagner, and many other composers to a wider audience during his years in Wiemar.  He also played many of his own orchestral works there. Liszt came to orchestral composition relatively late in his life and having an orchestra at his disposal aided him greatly in fine-tuning his compositions. He admitted that he needed to hear his works before he could finalize them.

His symphonic poems are based on the orchestral overture, which in turn was a development of the operatic overture. While operatic overtures were usually a panache of tunes from the opera about to be heard, the symphonic overture was similar to symphonic movements, and were written in sonata form.  Liszt used a different form and was a pioneer of cyclic form where musical motifs are played, varied and repeated. These motifs don't always follow a pattern of repetition. They can enter and leave in no set fashion and can be varied in many ways throughout the composition. Some of the symphonic poems show the seams and sound episodic, some meld into a seamless 'poem', but it is well to remember that these compositions were experiments in sound and form. As such, they inspired many other composers such as Wagner, who used the idea to create his leitmotifs in his operas.

Hunnenschlacht by Wilhelm von Kaulbach

Some of the symphonic poems were inspired by works of art.  Hunnenschlacht was inspired by a painting of the same title by Wilhelm von Kaulbach. The painting depicts the battle of the Catalaunian Fields in 451 AD where Attila The Hun led his army in an invasion of Gaul against a coalition of Roman and Visigoth generals and their soldiers. Contemporary descriptions of the battle contributed to the legend of the ferocity of the battle.  The 6th century philosopher Damascius heard that the fighting was so severe "that no one survived except only the leaders on either side and a few followers: but the ghosts of those who fell continued the struggle for three whole days and nights as violently as if they had been alive; the clash of their arms was clearly audible" It was this description of the battle that is depicted in the painting by Kaulbach.

Liszt opens the piece with the beginning of the battle, with Liszt giving the directions: "the entire tone color

should be kept very dark, and all instruments must sound like ghosts". To help achieve the effect he wanted, Liszt also directs the strings to play with mutes, even in the loud sections.  The battle lasts for roughly the first half of the work. The second half is begun with the solo organ playing Crux Fidelis, (Faithful Cross) an ancient church chant. This represents the victory of the Christian forces and slowly leads to a triumphant ending, with the solo organ having the last word.

The quoting of the ancient church hymn and the added organ (the oldest keyboard instrument known and a fixture in the Catholic church) is used by Liszt to avow his life-long faith in the Catholic church. The triumphant ending can also be looked at in the broader sense as a representation of love conquering hate.

The complex personality and genius of Liszt make him a paradox. From womanizer (by reputation or fact) to taking minor orders in the Catholic church, from brazen virtuoso to thoughtful musician, from indulging in the writing of what would be the equivalent of banal 'pop' music today to composing some of the best pieces of music by any composer. There is no denying that his was a great musical mind capable of exploring and experimenting in music. As his former fiance and lover Countess Sayn-Wittgenstein said of him, "'Liszt has thrown his spear further into the future than Wagner."  The influence of Liszt in music history is only now being known.

Bruckner - Symphony No. 9

Bruckner began composing his 9th Symphony straight away after his 8th symphony in 1887, and he worked on it intermittently until he died in 1896.  In those nine years he had left to live, he devoted much of his time to revising some of his earlier symphonies at the urging of friends and students.  Bruckner was obsessed with trying to make his music more palatable to his contemporary audience and second-guessed himself so much that it has led to confusion over so many versions of his works.

Why was Bruckner so willing to revise, and be complaisant with his student's efforts to revise his works? The perfectionism of a man such as Bruckner no doubt had a great deal to do with it. Perfectionism in art can be a good thing, or a bad thing. In art, and life in general, perfection is a journey...it isn't a goal that can ever be reached. We are all full of mistakes, flaws great and small, in other words we are human. A masterpiece of any kind is defined by its imperfections (no matter how slight or great) as much as by its beauty.  Bruckner appears to have been a compulsive man by nature, so he may have had little choice in the matter. His 9th symphony was, in some ways, a casualty of that compulsiveness in that while he had sketched and planned  a 4th movement, he never completed it. But the three movements he did complete are a fitting tribute to his artistry, genius and mastery.

While there have been reconstructions by musicologists of the 4th movement, they are a curiosity.  The completed symphonies of Brucker and three movements of this work are a wealth of great music. Any realization or reconstruction, no matter if done by a learned and sympathetic scholar, is but a commentary on the composer's music in question. Interesting in itself up to a point, and valid if taken in the right context, but unnecessary.

I. Feierlich, misterioso  (Solemn and mysterious) -  Per Bruckner's directions, the beginning of the symphony is shrouded in solemn mystery as the orchestra begins quietly and deeply. The beginning is in D minor, but this movement goes far afield as D-flat major makes an appearance after the opening bars, with E major and references to other keys abound in this vast first movement. It is in Bruckner's personal variation of traditional sonata form as themes are stated and developed over time.  There is a series of climaxes, which resolve into further development of other themes. Bruckner can seem fragmentary with these climaxes, as they usually end with silence from the orchestra, but as with his sudden pauses when going to a different theme and his key changes, these methods create tension and expectation for what is to come.  The movement ends with a final harmonically questioning climax that does not resolve completely, but points the way to what is to come.

II. Scherzo, Bewegt-lebhaft (rough, agitated - lively) - A scherzo that has been called brutal by some, it begins quietly with pizzicato strings until it loudly erupts with a simple rhythm that begins on the downbeat of the previous bar, and masks the time signature by heavily accenting each note of the rhythm in the woodwinds and brass and with down bows from the strings. The trio is opposite in feeling and provides a respite before the scherzo returns with a vengeance.

III. Adagio, Langsam, feierlich (slowly and solemnly) - Bruckner's harmonic waywardness continues in this last Adagio. The violins open with a B below middle C that swoops up to a C natural above middle C, a jump of a ninth. This movement also has several climaxes, along with music that sounds like fragments of music heard before, whether from this symphony or Bruckner's previous two symphonies.  The final climax builds slowly, and ends with a horrible chord for full orchestra that contains the seven notes of the harmonic minor scale, a chord that was 'sanitized' in some of the editions of the symphony edited by a Bruckner pupil. The ensuing silence after this chord is almost deafening and it is an example of how silence is an integral part of music. There are some coarse descending notes from the brass, and the music makes a quiet end in the major.

Haydn - Symphony No. 52 in C Minor Hob. I/52

Within the symphonic output of the prolific Josef Haydn there are symphonies of his middle period that fall under the label of Sturm und Drang, (storm and stress). These are dramatic works, reflecting the same dramatic elements that were found in contemporary German literature. Examples of these dramatic symphonies are Number 44 (Trauer) and Number 49 (La Passione)  and perhaps the most dramatic of all, number 52 in C minor.

The symphony is scored for two oboes, one bassoon, two horns, strings and continuo. It is in four movements:

I. Allegro assai con brio -  Haydn begins the first movement straight away with a theme full of energy and biting accents. The second theme is in a major key and is in great contrast to the first. This initial contrast sets the pace for a movement that is full of tension and mood swings.

II. Andante - A stately, easy dance-like theme is interrupted periodically by darker moments, in keeping with the overall tension of the symphony.

III. Menuetto e trio - Allegretto -  Haydn transforms the courtly dance by using accents and mild dissonance into a subdued stomp. The underlying tension is broken temporarily by the bright trio, but the stomp has the final word.

IV. Finale - Presto - Haydn maintains tension by continuing the strong accents and tones in the minor key. The strings chatter away, and the symphony ends in the minor.

Saint-Saëns - Violin Concerto No. 2 in C Major

The time of publication of compositions doesn't necessarily follow in the chronological order in which they are written. Saint-Saëns' Violin Concerto No. 2 is a case in point. His '1st' concerto was written in 1859, and was published with the opus number of 20. The '2nd' concerto was written a year earlier (1858) but was not published until 1879 and had the opus number of 58.  This is a fairly common occurrence, as the two piano concertos of Chopin were published in the reverse order in which they were written. The same goes for Beethoven's first two piano concertos.  This is of no great import, but it is a curiosity and something to keep in mind if the listener wants to examine how a composer progressed throughout their career by listening to their works in chronological order.

By the time Saint-Saëns composed this concerto he was 23 years old and an accomplished composer having written three symphonies and numerous other works.

The 2nd Violin Concerto is in three movements -
Allegro moderato e maestoso - a tempo piu allegro - The concerto begins with the orchestra quietly presenting an accompaniment for the soloist who enters after two measures. The movement is in sonata form similar to Mendelssohn's violin concerto. The cadenza is not left to the soloist to provide, but is written by Saint-Saëns. Towards the end of the cadenza, the timpani signals the return of the orchestra for the end of the movement.
Andante espressivo - Trombones and harp are added to this movement written in A minor. It begins with a short statement by the orchestra, then the violin enters with the harp accompanying. The violin sings a melancholy song that is lightly punctuated by episodes for the harp and orchestra. The music rises to a passionate climax, after which there is an episode in A major. The music suddenly shifts gears after a short episode for the oboe and segues directly into the finale.
Allegro scherzando quasi allegretto -  The rondo finale brings the concerto to a shimmering close.

Franck - Les Djinns

Les Djinns (The Genie) is one of five symphonic poems written by César Franck. As with many of the symphonic poems of Franz Liszt (who is credited with the invention of the symphonic poem), it is based on a literary work, the poem of the same name by the French writer Victor Hugo. The poem was part of a collection of Hugo's poems titled Les Orientales, written in 1829.  The poem deals with the unleashing of a Djinn and the resulting storms and evil that accompany the unleashing.

Victor Hugo

This kind of supernatural being is mentioned in the Qurʾan and Islamic theology. They inhabit an unseen world in dimensions beyond the visible universe. The djinn, humans and angels make up the three sentient creations of God. The Qurʾan mentions that the Djinn are made of a smokeless, scorching fire and can be good, evil, or neutral. The Djinn of Hugo's poem is evidently of the nasty kind.

Hugo's poem is written in a form that visually depicts a swirling storm or tornado. Verse one is in two syllables, verse two in three syllables, increasing by one syllable until the middle of the poem. Then a syllable is removed from each successive verse until the end, where two syllables are in the verse as in the beginning.  The original poem was written in French. Here is part of it in English translation, unfortunately the syllables do not match the original French:

Port, walls 

And keeps 

Death’s Halls 

And deeps, 

Grey seas 

Where breeze 

Now flees: 

All sleeps.

From the verge 

Of the flow Sighs emerge— 

Night-airs blow— 

And they toll 

Like a soul 

On patrol 

With a glow. 

The loudest sounds 

Are like a sleigh— 

An elf who bounds 

And skins away. 

He leaps and flows, 

In rhythmic throes 

Springs on his toes 

Across the spray. 

Echoes and entwines 

Like the bells we hear 

At accursed shrines.

 Like a noisy crowd 

Thundering and proud, 

Sometimes it grows loud, 

Sometimes it declines. 

O God! the ghostly sound Of Djinns!—

and how they blare! 

Quick! let’s escape around 

The sunken spiral stair! 

Oh, I have lost my light! 

The shadow of the flight 

Covers the wall—goes right 

Up to the open air. 

(the rest of the translation can be found here)

The original French and the form created by the addition and subtraction of syllables can be seen at the left.  

Victor Hugo was one of the most well-known and influential of the French Romantic writers.  In addition to poetry he also wrote plays and novels (some of the most well-known novels in all of world literature such as Les Misérables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame) 

His works influenced not only writers in his own country but in other countries as well, such as the American writer Edgar Allen Poe. His work also influenced many  composers and he was an acquaintance of Berlioz and Liszt.  Victor Hugo was also a graphic artist as he left more than 3,500 drawings and paintings.

Franck wrote Les Djinns in 1884, and the composition is unique in that it is written for orchestra with piano obbligato - in fact it is a symphonic poem for piano and orchestra, a rarity.

As with the best of Liszt's symphonic poems, Franck doesn't try to create a musical depiction of the poem itself, but an atmosphere and feeling of the poem. It is left to the imagination of the listener to interpret the music within the context of the poem, or not. The knowledge that Les Djinn was inspired by Hugo's poem is interesting and can add to the enjoyment of the piece, but it isn't necessary.  The title of the piece, Les Djinn, The Genie, is enough to stimulate the imagination. Which is what I think a symphonic poem is supposed to do.

Borodin - Symphony No. 2 In B Minor

Alexander Borodin led a double life as a scientist/chemist and composer in Russia in the 19th century. His output in each of these endeavors was small but significant. In the field of music he had very little formal training, especially in composition. The composition of his 2nd symphony was repeatedly interrupted by other compositions and his work in the laboratory.

The 2nd symphony is regarded by many as his masterpiece. When he visited Liszt in Weimar in 1877 they together played the symphony in a piano arrangement for four-hands. Liszt had admired Borodin's music and was instrumental in getting the first performances of his symphonies outside of Russia. When Borodin told Liszt of his plans to revise the symphony, Liszt replied:

"Heaven forbid! Do not touch it, alter nothing. Your modulations are neither extravagant nor faulty. Your artistic instinct is such that you need not fear to be original. Do not listen to those who would deter you from following your own way. You are on the right road. Similar advice was given to Mozart and to Beethoven, who wisely ignored it."

Borodin's Second Symphony is in 4 movements:
I. Allegro -  The tonic note of B is heard straight-away in unison by the orchestra, with the strings continuing the powerful tune. The orchestra continues forcefully until it reaches a more lyrical tune.  The first movement's form has caused much discussion in musicological circles, for while it resembles sonata form, Borodin weaves varied repeats (in key and modulation) of the main tune throughout the movement gives this movement a unique sound. The movement ends with a triple forte repetition of the opening theme.

II. Scherzo - Prestissimo - The second movement is written in the very odd time signature of 1/1:

The movement contains odd-shaped 5-bar phrases alternating at times with 4-bar phrases. This phrase structure combined with syncopated measures give the scherzo a tripping, comically stumbling quality. The gentle trio is in contrasting 6/4 time.

III. Andante - With all of Borodin's natural musicality of structure and form, it shouldn't be forgotten that perhaps his greatest gift was melodic in nature. This movement has some of the most beautiful music he ever wrote. It begins gently with harp and clarinet introduction and the horn enters with a gentle melody that is continued by the clarinet accompanied by other winds. There is a middle section that contrasts strongly with the gentleness of the opening, after which the music slowly begins its descent to end as it began, softly and melodiously.

IV. Allegro - The third movement runs directly into the Finale. The form of the movement can be seen as a type of sonata/rondo form but many hear it as a collection of Russian dances held loosely together. The mood is festive and continues until the opening dance returns to give a rousing finish to the work.

C.P.E. Bach - Württemberg Sonata No. 1 In A Minor

The music of C.P.E. Bach had a profound effect on the younger composers of his time, namely Mozart and Haydn. It is one of the ironies of art that in the early 19th century the younger Bach's music came to be appreciated less and less as his father's music came to be appreciated more and more. The elder Bach's music never was completely forgotten, especially his keyboard music. Beethoven studied The Well Temper Clavier as did many other composers in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, sometimes in hand-written copies that passed from teacher to pupil.

But the younger Bach continued to have a great influence on the art of keyboard playing because of his book Essay On The True Art Of Playing Keyboard Instruments (written in 1753).  The book is a valuable reference to anyone wishing to play the music of the younger Bach and some of his contemporaries. The music of this era continued the musical shorthand of figures written over certain notes that signified trills (and other ornaments of the basic melody) from the music of the previous generation. The meaning and execution of these ornaments can be quite puzzling, even with Bach's book. Different composers in different countries had their own interpretations of the ornaments. What is good for the music of Bach (elder and younger) is not always good for other composers.  Bach states in the book that there is a certain amount of flexibility with what a performer did with an ornament in a specific piece of music, that the overall effect of the piece should be enhanced by the ornamentation which should be a result of the 'good taste' of the performer.

Bach wrote a large amount of music for solo keyboard and his reputation was made with the publication of two sets of sonatas, the  'Prussian' sonatas were dedicated to Frederick The Great and the 'Württemberg' sonatas were dedicated to the grand duke of Württemberg.  The six Württemberg sonatas were written in 1742 while Bach was court musician for Frederick The Great in Berlin.  The sonatas are expressive, chromatic and dramatic, fitting the 'new' style of composition that Bach helped to create. C.P.E. Bach has been called one of the first composers of the classical era.

The first sonata in the set is in A minor and is in three movements:
I. Moderato - This short movement creates tension with its rolled chords and is punctuated by triplets that add a restlessness to the music. The movement consists of two sections that are both repeated, as is the case with early classical era sonatas.  The first section is an early example of sonata form, as there are two themes, with the secondary theme appearing shortly after the first. The second section begins in the relative major (C major) and makes its way back to the original key of A minor.

II. Andante - The gentle opening mood of the andante (in the parallel key of A major)  lasts for 19 bars and is brought to an expressive close by a tempo change to adagio for the 20th bar. The opening theme begins again and the music works its way to an ending of but two 'A' notes, one in the treble and one in the bass.

III. Allegro assai - The last movement returns to the minor key and is highlighted by runs in the right hand as the left hand changes the harmony. This movement is also in two sections that are to be repeated.

C.P.E. Bach readily gave praise to his father as a great musician and teacher (the only teacher he ever had) but that didn't prevent the younger Bach from calling his father's music old-fashioned. C.P.E. Bach was a fine performer and was an innovator and influential composer. His music is no longer forgotten, but it still is rare to hear some of it. To my ears, there is something different about his music, something that is very attractive, even quirky. With more of it being made available on recordings, there is still much I want to listen to and explore.

  

Lachner - Symphony No. 8 In G Minor

Franz Lachner's life spanned almost  the entire 19th century. He was born in 1803 in Bavaria and early in his career he was introduced to Beethoven and was a close personal friend to Franz Schubert.  Besides being a composer he was also an organist, teacher and a highly respected orchestral and operatic conductor.

After many different conducting posts he became the music director in Munich and raised the quality of the orchestra to a very high level.  He unselfishly used his power and influence to promote the music of contemporary composers. He especially made sure that he gave Wagner's operas exposure, even though he personally didn't like it. He understood the importance of Wagner and his music and drilled his orchestra to even higher levels so that the premiere of Tristan and Isolde could be held in Munich.

King Ludwig II

Wagner's fanatical patron, King Ludwig II, ascended to the throne of Bavaria in 1864. With typical 'gratitude' that Wagner showed to everyone that helped him, Wagner saw to it that  Lachner was unceremoniously dumped as Munich's music director. After Lachner had worked very hard with the orchestra to make Wagner's opera a success in Munich, he was replaced by Wagner's crony Hans Von Bülow (who later in his career would also pay the price for promoting Wagner's music). Lachner lost all of the positions in Munich that he held under the directorship of the orchestra and did not conduct the premiere of the opera.  He was on extended leave until his contract expired in 1868 and was given a generous retirement sum. He evidently never turned bitter about it all, and remained a respected elder statesman of music until he died in 1890.

He composed operas, chamber music, string quartets, pieces for organ and eight symphonies. The  Symphony No. 8 In G Minor was written in 1851. It is in the traditional 4 movements:

I.  Andante - Allegro Maestoso -  The first movement begins with a long, somewhat brooding introduction. The main theme then slowly unfolds with a subdued heroism that turns more dramatic. This theme segues into a second them that is more serene. Outbursts from the orchestra heighten the drama. After the exposition and recapitulation, a plaintive song by the solo bassoon is interrupted by an exuberant coda.
II. Andante - A flowing movement with a gentle theme that has a sense of continual development.
II. Scherzo - A rapid, jig-like scherzo with a few thumps and bumps for good measure. After the initial statements of the theme, it turns into a subject for fugal treatment.  The trio is lightly played by flutes with string accompaniment.
IV. Finale - Allegro Vivace -  A chattering theme begins the movement, other themes are heard with parts of the 'chattering' punctuating them. The main them is heard near the end along the secondary theme in a kind of sonata form recapitulation. The music ends in a dramatic cadence after a short coda.

The music of Lachner and other so-called minor composers can help us to remember that the great composers did not create their music in a vacuum. They were part of a continuum of their time that included musicians like Lachner who were rock-solid musicians and craftsmen composers. Lachner's music is well-written, and shows inspiration and profundity in places.  He was an important musician of his time, and as such created his own music and helped to create the music of others by teaching and promoting.  I personally enjoy listening to this symphony and look forward to exploring more of his works.

Schubert - Symphony No. 5 In B-flat Major

Schubert began his life as a composer at an early age. By the time he was 19 he had written this 5th symphony and many other works. Schubert's affinity for orchestral writing no doubt came from his experience in the school for musicians he attended. He played viola in the school orchestra and may have conducted also. The school orchestra played many works by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, and the young Schubert absorbed the influences of these composers so quickly that he had a very good understanding of classical form.

Schubert's love for the music of Mozart is apparent in this symphony. He composed this symphony almost like chamber music, as the style of the music and the orchestration has a Mozartean lightness. The 5th symphony is unique from the rest of Schubert's because there are no clarinets, trumpets or timpani in the score, and only one flute.  The symphony was composed in 1816, the same year as his Symphony No.4. The contrasts between the two symphonies are striking. The 5th shows Schubert's progress in his mastery of orchestral writing.

The life of Franz Schubert was one of the marvels of human creativity and industriousness, a man who died when he was 31 years old and whose compositions number 998 according to Otto Erich Deutsch, the musicologist that created a catalog of Schubert's works listed chronologically by composition date. His influence on later musicians such as Liszt, Schumann, and Bruckner was profound.  He has been called by some one of the composers that began the Romantic age of classical music.

Besides some of his songs, much of Schubert's music was not performed in his lifetime. Among his 9 symphonies, the 5th was the only symphony performed in his lifetime at a private concert in 1817.

Symphony No. 5 is in the traditional 4 movements:

I. Allegro - Unlike Schubert's previous four symphonies, the 5th doesn't begin with a slow introduction, but with the beginning of the first subject.  The movement is in sonata form.
II. Andante - A movement that reflects the style of Mozart while retaining Schubert's lyrical style.
III. Menuetto Allegro molto - This movement also resembles Mozart's 'peasant stomp' minuets and could be called a scherzo.
IV.Allegro vivace - The finale is in sonata form and rounds off the work with movement and a little drama in places.

 

Liszt - Orpheus

The series of 13 tone poems Liszt wrote were inspired in content by his readings in classical literature, biography, mythology and history. Liszt made up for a lack of formal education in his younger years because of his constant piano practice and concertizing by reading voraciously.

In musical structure, he was inspired by Beethoven's repeating thematic material in separate movements and the unity this gave the work as a whole. Hector Berlioz's work Symphony Fantastique was also an influence. Liszt liked the work so much that he helped to promote the work by making a piano transcription of it.

The tone poem is a direct descendant of the operatic and concert overture. As operatic overtures signaled a beginning of an opera and often quoted the main themes that were to be heard, the concert overture was usually written in sonata form and could be a singular piece of music that began a dramatic play, or the music could have a descriptive setting.  Liszt took these qualities, plus the feeling of the first movement in a symphony (usually written in sonata form and many times was the movement that held the most musical weight). He took the idea of thematic unity further than Beethoven, and used what is called cyclic form, where the entire piece has common themes repeated, sometimes verbatim, sometimes varied. Like many other 'new' things, Liszt did not invent cyclic form so much as revive it for there is examples of it in Renaissance music. There are also examples of it in Haydn's music, and of course Beethoven made use of it.

In the preface to the score of Orpheus Liszt wrote:

“I saw in my mind’s eye an Etruscan vase in the Louvre, representing the first poet-musician. I thought to see round about him wild beasts listening in ravishment: man’s brutal instincts quelled to silence.... Humanity today, as formerly and always, preserves in its breast instincts of ferocity, brutality and sensuality, which it is the mission of art to soften, sweeten and ennoble.”

Orpheus is written in a loose sonata form. The piece begins with two harps playing ascending passages in imitation of Orpheus' lyre.The piece is restrained and contemplative,  Liszt's tribute to the depth of feeling and redeeming qualities he heard and saw in music and art in general.

Liszt wrote most of his tone poems while he was kappelmeister in Wiemar in 1852-1854.  Most of them are not in the immediate concert repertoire except for Les Preludes. They were experiments in form, structure, orchestration and material. Some are more satisfying musically than others, but all of them are at the least interesting.  That more of them are not heard in the concert hall may say something about the tone poems, but it surely says something about the state of the modern day concert hall.

Vivaldi - Concerto For Guitar And Strings

Vivaldi's Concerto For Guitar, Strings and Continuo is one of the hundreds of concertos Vivaldi wrote when he was the master of violin at the Conservatorio dell'Ospedale della Pietà  (The Devout Hospital of Mercy), an orphanage in Venice. He was associated with the orphanage for thirty years And wrote many of his most well known works while there.  He wrote concertos for combinations of solo instruments as well as single solo instruments.

This concerto is in three movements. The first movement begins with a statement by the strings. The solo guitar enters and the soloist and strings trade statements back and forth in the traditional ritornello form of the time.  The second movement is a gentle siciliano that begins in the major but is calmly punctuated in the minor in the middle section. The finale is a rollicking jig.

Vivaldi was one of the great composers and violinists of his time. His concertos follow a formula, but within those confines he created music that can touch the heart and lift the spirit.  His influence was wide and far, as J.S.Bach knew his compositions and arranged some of the concertos for solo organ and groups of harpsichords.

After his death in 1741, Vivaldi's music was generally forgotten. It wasn't until the early 20th century that some of his works were rediscovered by musicians and musicologists. He wrote over 500 concertos,  with about 230 for solo violin. This concerto was originally written for lute, but is played on the guitar in most modern performances.