Page 140 - GTMF 2024 Season Program

August 2 & 3 PROGRAM NOTES

Symphony No. 2 in a series of revisions the new “logical” composer, always made
D Major, Op. 43 symphony was finally ready for its his argument clear: if a Brahms
premiere, which duly took place work states something baldly at
continued on March 8, 1902 in Helsinki to its beginning, that something is
enthusiastic acclaim. Exposure almost certainly the main idea
caroused, he borrowed. He seems beyond Finland followed—Berlin, that’s to be explored. The opening
to have been something of a born Stockholm and Boston all heard of the Brahms Fourth Symphony
party animal. In 1891 his mother, the work early on, and most provides a textbook example, as
fed up with a lack of letters from listeners loved it. But not everybody. its falling third is quickly revealed
her ditzy son in Vienna and American critic-composer Virgil to be the source of much that
fearing the worst, sent him a Thomson condemned it as follows. (Leonard Bernstein once
questionnaire containing a “vulgar, self-indulgent and demonstrated that to an audience
systematic cross-examination provincial beyond all description.” of children, and they seemed to
concerning his associates, his (Odd comment, that, coming from follow the process just fine.)
habits and his diet. Jean, to his one of America’s most decidedly
credit, dutifully returned it filled provincial composers.) As in Brahms, thus in the Sibelius
out (more or less) honestly. Second, which opens with three
Although by 1900 he was an Thomson’s was the minority notes, rising in step, carving out
established composer, husband report. Nowadays the Sibelius the interval of a third: F sharp-G-A.
and father, his old habits yet Second belongs firmly at the core That’s the seed. It grows in a
persisted—particularly boozing it of the late Romantic symphonic multiplicity of ways, such as when
up at every opportunity. repertory, nestled securely it flips itself over and becomes
alongside its companions by F sharp-E-D, the primary theme
In June 1900 Sibelius received a Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Elgar of the first movement. It appears
letter from Baron Axel Carpelan, and Mahler. Apropos that last, in guises both obvious and subtle
an arts patron with a knack there’s a story about Sibelius and throughout the symphony,
for fundraising: “It is time you Mahler meeting, during which time such as when it forms part of a
travelled. You will spend the late they shared their philosophies luxuriant transitional theme in
autumn and winter in Italy, a of symphonic writing. For Mahler, the first movement. Best of all,
land where one can learn about the symphony needed to embrace that stepwise three-note motion
cantabile, proportion and harmony, all of life’s experiences. Sibelius, becomes the noble theme of the
the plastic arts and the symmetry on the other hand, viewed it as last movement: D-E-F sharp, the
of lines, where everything is an “exercise in profound logic.” first movement’s primary theme
beautiful—even that which is ugly. That sounds convincing enough, flipped upside down.
After all, recall what Italy meant to but for many people the idea of
the development of Tchaikovsky “profound logic” doesn’t make Finally, in the very closing
and to Richard Strauss.” Having a lot of sense when applied to moments of the symphony, that
taken Carpelan up on his offer music. What, precisely, could be three-note idea acquires a fourth
to cover the finances, by the late “logical” about creating a piece note: D-E-F sharp-G, which
winter of 1901 Sibelius and his of music? in context seems an almost
family were living in a villa on the earthshattering culmination of
Bay of Genoa. It’s there that he The answer lies crafting the everything that has come before.
began working on what would materials of a composition out The Sibelius Second is expansive;
become the Second Symphony. of a few seed ideas that are then its magisterial first movement is
cultivated so as to grow and followed by an enigmatic slow
Gestation was not easy. “I have develop. The “logic” resides in movement, then a glittering
been in the throes of a bitter that development, that mining of scherzo leads into a grand finale
struggle with this symphony,” an idea for its potentialities. But of sweeping majesty. Its horizons
Sibelius wrote Carpelan. “Now such transformation needn’t be are vast, but within all that
the picture is clearer, and I am thought of as esoteric or difficult rhapsodic opulence there is
proceeding under full sail.” After to follow. Brahms, a fellow indeed a core of profound logic.

138 Grand Teton Music Festival Season 63