War music

[schweitzeralan]

Khachaturian's 2nd Symphony.

Do i know this?  I love the familiar works I have.  Interesting.

[Franco]

Pendereki's "Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima" is obvious. 
David Diamond's Symphony No. 2.  It was written during WWII.  The first legthy movement is a funeral march.  The third movement offers consolation and a vision of a more peaceful time. 

So much music has been written in response to war.  Whether as a direct depiction of its horrors; it tragic consequences; or as escapist fantasies.

Pendereki did not conceive of the title before he wrote the piece, or at all, IIRC, his publisher added it. and the composer did not object.  So, I am not sure if would qualify as a conscious effort at writing music in response to war.

[Tapkaara]

Do i know this?  I love the familiar works I have.  Interesting.

Basically, the 2nd is something of a Soviet call to arms against the Germans. Written during the Second World War, it contains very martial (and very loud) sections where brass and percussion (notably, the gongs) crash and thunder with all the rage and fury you could hope to hear in an orchestral work. A little long-winded at times, but HIGHLY recommended.

(I recommend Neeme Jarvi's recording on Chandos...GREAT sound.)

[schweitzeralan]

Basically, the 2nd is something of a Soviet call to arms against the Germans. Written during the Second World War, it contains very martial (and very loud) sections where brass and percussion (notably, the gongs) crash and thunder with all the rage and fury you could hope to hear in an orchestral work. A little long-winded at times, but HIGHLY recommended.

(I recommend Neeme Jarvi's recording on Chandos...GREAT sound.)

Thanks for the reply.  Will get it it.  Thought I had every everything by by Kachaturian.

[Sorin Eushayson]

Two Beethovens for you!

Der Glorreiche Augenblick (The Glorious Moment), Op. 136
Wellington's Victory, Op. 91

[jwinter]

Dare I also suggest Tchaikovsky's 1812...?

Only if I can offer Holst's Mars from The Planets ...

[Maciek]

Mahler's last two Knaben Wunderhorn settings: "Revelge" and "Der Tamboursg'sell" are chilling anti-war songs. reminiscent of Schumann's Beiden Grenadiere
'

Interesting link (between the Schumann and Mahler).

[The new erato]

Speaking of Songs, one of my all-time favorite works is Frank Martin's harrowing song-cycle Der Cornet, on Rilke's poems on the wartime experiences of a young German in the war against the turks.

There's an extremely fine MDG recording, though it is beaten by one of the very greatest discs in my  +5000 disc collection, on Orfeo.

[Wanderer]

Medtner's op.30 piano sonata (the "War Sonata" as it is often referred to) reflects in its violent and unsettling proceedings the troubled times during which it was composed.
Quoting from the liner notes of Hyperion's Hamelin set:
"This tautly constructed single-movement work, dating
from 1914, was known by the composer's friends as the
'War Sonata', and certainly in its turbulent drama and
general atmosphere of menace it may be said to have
mirrored the times in which it was created. The music's
surprising ferocity, jagged rhythms and astringent
harmonies are only briefly assuaged by the gently wistful
second subject. The work is crowned by one of Medtner's
most compelling and headlong codas, at the end of which,
once again, with the struggle won, bells ring out in
celebration" - a terse and grim "celebration" I might add, with no hint of triumph or exultation. A powerful and evocative work of which both Hamelin and Tozer give exemplary renditions.

[schweitzeralan]

Medtner's op.30 piano sonata (the "War Sonata" as it is often referred to) reflects in its violent and unsettling proceedings the troubled times during which it was composed.
Quoting from the liner notes of Hyperion's Hamelin set:
"This tautly constructed single-movement work, dating
from 1914, was known by the composer's friends as the
'War Sonata', and certainly in its turbulent drama and
general atmosphere of menace it may be said to have
mirrored the times in which it was created. The music's
surprising ferocity, jagged rhythms and astringent
harmonies are only briefly assuaged by the gently wistful
second subject. The work is crowned by one of Medtner's
most compelling and headlong codas, at the end of which,
once again, with the struggle won, bells ring out in
celebration" - a terse and grim "celebration" I might add, with no hint of triumph or exultation. A powerful and evocative work of which both Hamelin and Tozer give exemplary renditions.

Interesting.  Don't know this Medtner work.

[Ten thumbs]

Medtner's op.30 piano sonata (the "War Sonata" as it is often referred to) reflects in its violent and unsettling proceedings the troubled times during which it was composed.
Quoting from the liner notes of Hyperion's Hamelin set:
"This tautly constructed single-movement work, dating
from 1914, was known by the composer's friends as the
'War Sonata', and certainly in its turbulent drama and
general atmosphere of menace it may be said to have
mirrored the times in which it was created. The music's
surprising ferocity, jagged rhythms and astringent
harmonies are only briefly assuaged by the gently wistful
second subject. The work is crowned by one of Medtner's
most compelling and headlong codas, at the end of which,
once again, with the struggle won, bells ring out in
celebration" - a terse and grim "celebration" I might add, with no hint of triumph or exultation. A powerful and evocative work of which both Hamelin and Tozer give exemplary renditions.

I haven't attempted this for a long while but yes that coda is quite a challenge. However the ending is far from grim being predominantly in major keys. Most of the last page is in A major and the music is at least consoling.

[Wanderer]

I haven't attempted this for a long while but yes that coda is quite a challenge. However the ending is far from grim being predominantly in major keys. Most of the last page is in A major and the music is at least consoling.

It may reside mostly in the major but it is so inflected with ambiguity that, in my view at least, ends up being more sinister than celebratory. This ending has always reminded me of Shostakovich Fifth's mock triumph of a finale.

[WI Dan]

Much of Smetana's cycle of symphonic poems, Má Vlast, deals with the Hussite wars.  The fifth piece in the cycle, "Tábor", is meant to depict an actual battle, I believe.

[schweitzeralan]

      While Vaughan-Williams didn't write program music  he was certainly influenced by the events of his times, the Pastoral Symphony being exhibit A. I've always thought that Vaughan-Williams' music was a sort of audible commentary on world events - he once said "I'm not sure if I like [the fourth symphony], but it's what I meant." Naturally such a sturmisch work appeared while the clouds were gathering. The 5th symphony was premiered during the Battle of Britain, showing a light at the end of the tunnel, a goal of absolute resolution. I'm also pretty sure that I heard somewhere that early in his career, Vaughan-Williams swore off the symphony, intent to dedicate his life to smaller, more people-oriented forms. And then he starts writing symphonies with the proclivity of a Sibelius, or a Shostakovich. Interesting. It raises the question (one that is especially pertinent in the 20th century) of how pure the art form of composition is. In the romantic and classical era, the music certainly reflects the tastes and currents of the times, but I wonder whether the Eroica Symphony, for example, would have even been published at all, had the circumstances surrounding the name taken place in the 20th century.

      David mentioned Shostakovich's 7th symphony, I've heard of his set of symphonies from 4-10 as being his war symphonies - his war on Stalin. If you don't buy that theory, the 8th is certainly a war symphony just as much as the 7th.

Interesting views on works by VW.  Several postings addressed the concept of war themes and pervasiveness in many composers.  I was pleased to read the many penetrating insights into this particular aspect of classical music. Alas, wars seem to endure; however, admittedly, I like to lister to works delving into the feelings, the horrors, the bravery intuited in the works of so many composers.

[Conor71]

Nielsen's 5th Symphony?

[jimmosk]

These two come to mind:

Alexander Goedicke's At War (From the Diary of a Dead Soldier), Op. 26
http://www.recordsinternational.com/cd.php?cd=07J082

Vainberg/Weinberg's Symphony No.18, War: There is no word more cruel
http://home.wanadoo.nl/ovar/sovrev/vainberg/vbocd589.htm

[Dana]

Alas, wars seem to endure; however, admittedly, I like to lister to works delving into the feelings, the horrors, the bravery intuited in the works of so many composers.

If that's how we define war music, I'd expand the circle to include most of Shostakovich's String Quartets.

[schweitzeralan]

Nielsen's 5th Symphony?

Yes.  I believe Nielsen was one of several composers (and poets) whose works were changed, or transformed, by virtue of the massive effect of the First World War. Frank Bridge is another example.

[Maciek]

From the very start I've considered this a Luke-type thread... Why hasn't he posted here yet?

[Cato]

Karl Amadeus Hartmann's  Concerto Funebre and most of his first three or four symphonies were composed during the war.  The composing history of his symphonies is a little fragmented, with sketches for a work being re-used for others, but in general the timeframe is right.