Symphony No. 2 (Dohnányi)

Written with audible roots in the Romantic tradition, the work is largely lyrical, yet maintains a controlled militaristic air inspired by the events surrounding its composition.

Although these events circulated the symphony's creation, the work itself does not ostensibly depict the turbulent circumstances of the war's final days, but only suggests their presence with an uneasy atmosphere.

After the introductory material concludes, the second, more lyrical theme is presented by violas and expanded by the woodwinds, displaying Dohnányi's talent for rich harmony and engaging orchestration.

After several minutes of gradual growth, the movement reaches its climax, a complete recapitulation of the opening theme and its developing material, executed by the brass with a shimmering undercurrent of violins, and punctuated by timpani.

The flutes return with the second theme, before the trombones recapitulate the opening material, creating an almost competitive environment in which various sections of the orchestra struggle for supremacy.

Unpredictably this is extinguished by a squawking trill of the brass, immediately refocusing the movement to the rapid material from the introduction, the chords returning as strong accents.

After about thirty seconds of assorted events, the distinctive swoon of the trombones heard once before returns with more violent intensity, overshadowing the rest of the instruments, and drives the movement to a humorous and ungraceful conclusion.

The finale is briefly introduced with a sullen, tuba-based opening, which quickly transitions into a vibrant, concerto-style duet violin passage, the first of the five variations.

These passages, although highly diverse in their style and orchestration, all derive their core material from the primary choral melody of Bach's song Komm, süßer Tod.

Although Bach scored the song's main theme for solo voice, Dohnányi did not include a choral setting of the work, and maintains a purely instrumental interpretation.

In the midst of the climax Bach's melody is united with the symphony's opening theme, presented by the trumpets and supported by the trombones, horns and tuba.

Unlike the unsure victory of the first movement, the finale has no reservations about triumph and presents a robust march to conclude the piece, a definitive E major finish.

In the 1950s, while the composer was serving his tenure as composer-in-residence at Florida State University, Dohnányi decided to revise the Second Symphony in a period of intense creativity at the end of his life.

Throughout the entirety of his adult career, Dohnányi remained musically conservative, and even in his final years did not seek to foray into tonal and stylistic novelties.

By far the most well-known recording (and until 2010 the only commercially released one), completed 21–22 September 1995, is done by the BBC Philharmonic, conducted by Matthias Bamert and produced by Ralph Couzens.