Brahms · Johannes Brahms
Brahms Symphony No. 2 in D major
Brahms's "Pastoral," written in a summer by the lake
- Key
- D major
- Composed
- 1877
- Premiere
- 1877 Vienna
- Duration
- About 43 min
- Movements
- 4 movements
- Instrumentation
- Woodwinds 2·2·2·2 · Brass 4·2·3·1 · Timpani · Strings
The story behind this piece
Brahms, who had labored over No. 1 for more than 20 years, wrote No. 2 in a single summer in 1877. Because he wrote it while staying in Pörtschach, a village on the Wörthersee in southern Austria, its bright, relaxed mood is often compared to Beethoven's "Pastoral" Symphony.
The playful Brahms teased his friends and publisher by deliberately saying the opposite, as if the piece were very gloomy and sad. In fact, it's the sunniest of his symphonies. The premiere was on December 30, 1877, in Vienna, by the Vienna Philharmonic under Hans Richter.
What to listen for
- Opening of the first movement: the cellos and basses quietly present a three-note motif and the horns gently take it up. The whole piece grows out of this small motif.
- Third movement: over cello pizzicato, the oboe sings a light dance tune. It alternates with sections that suddenly speed up in the middle.
- End of the fourth movement: the brass burst in and join, and it ends with the most brilliant, exhilarating finish of any Brahms symphony.
Listen · Score
- Hear the full piece on YouTube · hr-Sinfonieorchester · Andrés Orozco-Estrada
- Free scores on IMSLP (full score and parts)
Credits