Borodin: Symphony No. 2 in B Minor

Description

Although it has a four movement formal structure like the German symphonies, Borodin's Second Symphony is purely Russian. No listener can fail to identify its nationality as Russian - for all purposes it defines the dark, brooding character associated with the national musical culture. The first movement opens with a vigorous unison in the strings, reinforced by bassoons and horns, the theme forming the foundation of the whole movement. The second movement, a brilliant allegro, drives ahead irresistibly and forcefully from start to finish. Like the first movement, the third is built around a single theme - a long, haunting melody stated by solo horn. The third leads directly into the fourth movement, the opening theme being announced by full orchestra.

Even though his four-hand arrangement was published in 1877, Borodin held off publishing the orchestral score until he finished incorporating a number of additional technical improvements to the orchestration that had been recommended by Rimsky-Korsakov after the 1879 performance. Upon the composer's death, the full score and parts remained unpublished in an early proof stage. Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov completed the proofreading before publication later that year (1887).

Instrumentation in set: 3(3dPicc).2(2dEH).2.2: 4.2.3.1: Timp.Perc(4): Hp: Str(9.8.7.6.5).