Symphony No. 2 (Brahms)

The Symphony No. 2 in D, Op. 73 was composed by Johannes Brahms in the summer of 1877 during a visit to the Austrian Alps. Its gestation was brief in comparison with the fifteen years which Brahms took to complete his First Symphony. The symphony is scored for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, and strings.

The cheerfulness of the Symphony has been likened with the pastoral mood of Ludwig van Beethoven's Sixth Symphony. In contrast, Brahms' First Symphony was marked by its sombre tonality (C minor).

The composer had written to his publisher (November 22 1877) that the forthcoming symphony would be music of melancholy, that indeed the score must come out in mourning. And while the work is neither tragic nor especially dramatic, the mood of the first two movements, largely quiet or contemplative and reaching climaxes in the minor, suggests that this letter may not have been entirely a creation of wit. The last two movements are lighter in mood but also much briefer. The subtle interplay of contrasting melodies overlapping and being passed around throughout the instruments of the orchestra allow the conductor to dictate the mood by emphasizing different parts.

The premiere was given on December 30 1877 in Vienna under the direction of Hans Richter. A typical performance lasts between 40 and 50 minutes.

Movements

In the Second Symphony, Brahms preserved the structural principles of the Classical symphony, in which two lively outer movements frame a slow second movement followed by a short scherzo:

• I. Allegro non troppo in D major
• II. Adagio non troppo in B major
• III. Allegretto grazioso (quasi andantino) in G major
• IV. Allegro con spirito in D major.

I. Allegro non troppo

The cellos and double-basses start off the symphony on a tranquil note by introducing the first phrase of the principal theme, which is continued by the horns. The woodwind instruments develop the section and other instruments join in gradually progressing into a full-bodied forte (bar 58). A new theme is introduced in bar 82 in F-sharp minor. After bar 182, the exposition may be repeated from the beginning depending on the conductor and orchestra. After the development section (see sonata form), the recapitulation begins at bar 302, with the second subject arriving at bar 350. Towards the conclusion of the first movement, Brahms marked bar 497 as "in tempo, sempre tranquillo", and it is this mood which pervades the remainder of the movement as it closes in the home key of D major.

The first movement, Allegro non Troppo, is a very interesting movement. It almost seems to be an entire movement based on the variation of the lullaby motive. It is introduced at measure 74 and is continually brought back, shaped and changes both rhythmically and harmonically. An idea that Brahms would constantly play upon is the use of Beethoven extended form. In this movement, we see an expansive exposition that contains many interesting factors; The introduction of the movement is contains several key factors. At the beginning of the movement, we do not actually hear an opening motive, this has been replaced with a with lyrical counterpoint. We see a lyrical line presenting and idea, and then a few measure later, move in contrasting motion. (See example 1.1). What is worthy of note is that, in the exposition of this piece, these lyrical passages act more as type of introduction to the main theme at measure 44. No one idea has yet been introduced and well represented until measure 44. At measure 44, a canon features is used to introduce the new theme. It is, as the name suggest, repeated in several voices.

Many interesting point comes across in this first movement, it is written as a symphonic waltz, it quite uncommon for ¾ time to be used in symphonic works. This was a characteristic that was usually done by Strauss. The development section of this piece is very interesting, it leaves the bright and calm introduction and transitions to a more agitated state. Here we see intense lyricism with thematic variation. This lyricism is portrayed by heavy bass shots with the brass and is driven by the string and woodwinds, and to add a more ominous, he adds in a rolling timpani. This creates the sense of agitation in the listener, not towards the music, but the recapitulation brings back the development; yet, to end this first movement, Brahms then introduces new musical elements into the piece.

II. Adagio non troppo

A brooding subject is introduced by the cellos from bars 1 to 12 alongside the bassoons and double basses. Brahms inserted a new tempo in bar 33 marked "L'istesso tempo, ma grazioso". Here, the dark and sombre mood of the piece continues until the end of the movement.

His second movement is another sombre work in this symphony. In this movement Adagio non troppo, Brahms uses Beethoven’s expanded form. This expanded sonata form has quite a large exposition, almost expanding half the length of the movement itself. Like Beethoven’s works, the development would usually be shortened in length to allow a weighty finale or recapitulation to occur. The recapitulation has far more weight than the first movement. It contrasts the rest of the movement by providing a driving rhythm and melody in the strings. It then finishes by returning to a coda-like section in which the main theme is reintroduced in the end. A delightfull technique that Brahms used in this movement directly related to lyricism, was his use of harmonic daring. Throughout the movement, he is creating suspense and release. This tension is rather powerful and draws in the listener and allows them to savour the warm tone color of the instrumentation. Another technique that Brahms was adamant about in this movement is use of thematic material. An interesting uses of thematic material is used in this piece. Here we see the use of a developing variation of the theme. The main theme is introduced by the low strings, low horns, and low winds in d# minor, this immediately brings the listener to the sombre mood of this first movement. The original theme as shown is example 2.1, has the descending line continuously reshaped. we see that this descending line is altered and varied a number of times. To bring this to the listener’s ear, he repeated this altered motive in several voices to not only create emotion and increase the pieces tone color, but to also draw attention to something that may have otherwise been missed. Brahms also uses variations on a number of different themes as well in this movement, using everything from leaping fourths and fifths, to descending lines and triplets.

A common technique that will be used in this symphony is change in meter. In this movement, the change is not as profound. It moves simply into 4/4 at the begging, to 12/8 at measure 32, to a combination at measure 56, and then, finally, back to 12/8 at measure 92. Why Brahms chose to add in these time signatures is hard to determine. He may have done this to allows greater ease to the performer to play the triplets in the later half; Or this may have been done create a slightly more dance like texture, perhaps creating a preface to the coming movements that would break the dreary shackles of the first two movements

III. Allegretto grazioso (quasi andantino)

Pizzicato cello provides the backdrop at the beginning but the oboe carries the main melody. A contrasting second subject marked "Presto ma non assai" begins with the string instruments and the full orchestra develops the theme. Bar 107 returns to the main tempo and gentle mood but the idyll setting is again disrupted in bar 126 when the earlier Presto marking makes a re-entry. Brahms yet again diverts the piece back into its principal tempo (bar 194) and thereafter to its peaceful close.

In the third movement, Allegro Grazioso, we hear a very light articulated sections, this could be due to the influence of Mozart or Schubert. This lighter element provides a contrast to the previous two movements. This movement is the shortest in the symphony and his briefest symphonic movement. In this movement, we see a use of thematic variation. A shown in example 3.1, we see a rhythmic change of the main theme. The rhythmic change is due to the changing of the meter. This changing meter may have been done to imitate a baroque style dance suite. The introduction is introduced as a waltz, this is evident by the ¾ meter. The waltz is then rhythmically transformed into what sound like a gigue, the meter is changed to 2/4 time and is rhythmically driven by the strings, which have now also taken over the theme. He also uses 3/8 time to help incorporate the use of this dance like rhythms.

In this movement, we see many retrospective characteristics come into play. This movement is written in the style of a dance suite. We see elements of waltz and gigues that are portrayed by the key signatures. An interesting quality in this movement is how Brahms chose his instrumentation. In this movement, it more closely resembles a classical or pre-classical ensemble. We see a diminished use of the brass instruments and see a increased dominance of the string ensemble with emphasis on the flutes, oboes, and fagottes. A classical and pre-classical adoption of instrumentation sees the cello providing harmony to the woodwinds.

In this movement, it brakes the tradition of using sonata from. Although there is a return to something that may act like a development, it is returning to a variation of the main theme. My only conclusion is that this movement was written in a rondo form. The use of the rondo form can be tied to the use of retrospective elements in Brahms music, seeing as the rondo form was commonly used in Baroque music. We see several return to the main theme, although they may be somewhat varied. As show bellow in example 3.3, Theme A at measure 1 represents the main theme. It then transitions into theme B at measure 33. There is then a variation of the main theme at measure 107, creating theme a. This quickly transitions into what could be considered the development section at measure 126, when theme C is introduced. Theme A is then brought back, acting like a recapitulation, at measure 194. A coda containing elements of the main theme is used to end the movement at measure 219.

IV. Allegro con spirito

Busy-sounding (but quiet) strings begin the final movement. A loud section breaks in unexpectedly in bar 23 with the full orchestra. As the excitement appears to fade away, violins introduce a new subject in A major marked "largamente" (to be played broadly). The wind instruments would repeat this and develops into the other instruments as well. Bar 155 of the movement repeats the symphony's first subject again but instead of the joyful outburst heard earlier, Brahms introduced the movement's development section. A mid-movement "tranquillo" section (bar 206) elaborates earlier material. The first theme comes in again (bar 244) and the familiar orchestral forte is played. This time, instead of the A major theme in the "largamente" marking, Brahms allows the theme to be reprised in the symphony's home key of D major. Towards the end of the symphony, descending chords and a mazy run of notes by various instruments of the orchestra (bars 395 to 412) sound out the familiar A major theme again but this time drowned out in a blaze of brass instruments as the symphony ends on a triumphant note by the full orchestra complete with a timpani roll.

Movement four, allegro con spirit, follows the Beethovenian tradition of having a weighty finale to end the symphony. In this case, Brahms succeed in creating a finale that was worthy enough to step out of the shadows represent the second age of symphony. What is interesting in this movement is how it contrast the first movement. Not only is this movement faster and in a brighter key, the melodic lines of this entire movement will constantly move in ascending lines, which is exactly opposite of the melody of what the first movement in which it would progress in descending melodic lines. This movement is in a very broad sonata form containing a very large coda from measures 353 to the end. Brahms yet again follows the Beethovenian tradition of the expanded form. The exposition has been expanded to the largest section of the sonata form. As true as we have seen in the previous three movements, to sate the theme or idea, he repeats them in different voices in order for the listener to apprehend this idea. In this movement, there are two very important ideas that come into play; the main theme and a second theme. This main theme is used to sate the beginning of the exposition, the development, and exposition. The second theme is used to introduce the coda and also to provide some amount of tension and will then be used to help energize the coda. There is another effect that Brahms uses in this movement is constant momentum. At measure 221, the movement slows down at the tranquillo. Brahms specifically slows down the movement to help create a build up of energy into the recapitulation. It is here that we see a new theme that is introduced that will appear briefly in the coda. This new theme closely resembles the main and secondary theme as this theme contains both the neighbour note passage and the upward leap of the third. To increase the thematic unity of the piece, Brahms then overlaps these two themes at measure 375.

Bibliography

• Walter Frisch. Brahms: The Four Symphonies New Haven: Yale University Press (2003): 67 - 90

External links

• Free scores by Symphony No. 2 at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)