- Symphony No. 2 (Walton)
The Symphony No. 2 known as "The Liverpool Symphony" was composed by the English
composer William Walton was commissioned by theRoyal Liverpool Philharmonic Society . TheRoyal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra , conducted by John Pritchard gave the first performance in 1960 at the Edinburgh Festival.The work is in three movements.
# "Allegro molto"
# "Lento assai"
#Passacaglia : Theme, Variations, "Fugato", and "Coda-Scherzando"It is scored for a large symphony orchestra comprising 2
flute s,piccolo (doubling flute), 2oboe s,cor anglais (doubling oboe), 2clarinet s (second doubling clarinet in E flat),bass clarinet (doubling clarinet), 3bassoon s (third doublingcontrabassoon ), 4 horns, 3trumpet s, 3trombone s,tuba ,timpani ,percussion instrument s (four players),piano , celeste, 2harps and strings. The symphony was the subject of harsh press criticism on account of its seemingly conservative style at a time when the European avant-garde style was in its ascendance. With time, however, it has been recognised as a mature, subtle and superbly crafted work with many refinements oforchestration , a characteristic of this composer. The finale is notable for its use of a twelve -tone Note-Row, a device used inSerial music .
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