Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Mainz Philharmonic State Orchestra conducted by Hermann Bäumer.
I - Allegro tranquillo: 0:00
II - Tarantella. Molto allegro e con fuoco - Poco più animato: 11:20
III - Notturno. Andante - (attacca): 15:19
IV - Finale. Poco animato e sempre più - Allegro - Più mosso - Stretto: 21:57
Gernsheim's Symphony No.2 was composed between August and December 1880, following the success of the first one. It was dedicated to the Hamburg Philharmonic Society, which had performed Gernsheim’s first symphony. The work was premiered in Rotterdam on March 16 of 1882, during the composer’s tenure as Music Director of the city’s Philharmonic Society. Following a Bonn performance in late November, the Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung lauded the work as "one of the most significant symphonic creations of recent years". In the U.S. it was premiered on December 8 of that year, performed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by George Henschel.
Gernsheim was a conservative composer and a friend of Johannes Brahms, to whom he is frequently compared. They met on 1862 and both shared their disregard for program music and lack of interest in opera. Gernsheim had learned much from Brahms, especially in his manner of working out thematic content and, to a lesser extent, in his manner of orchestration. However, his music also successfully melds together echoes of Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Spohr, Schubert and (of course) Brahms into a convincing style of his own. Rossini, who Gernsheim met in Paris, may have been an influential as well, and Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony may have served as a model.
Gernsheim married Helene Hernsheim on May 1 of 1877, and the couple took a honeymoon trip to Naples, where, according to Karl Holl: "The atmosphere of the days spent there gave renewed wing to his creative fantasy and was captured for all time in the lines, colours, and rhythms of the Second Symphony in E-flat, op. 46." Rotterdam’s newspaper, the Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant, cautiously gave the work as a whole the nickname "Italian" Symphony, adding that it "transports the listener to the fiery and colourful South". The second movement, a tarantella, was so well-received at its premiere that it had to be encored.
The first movement is structured in sonata form. It begins with a lyrical and calm main theme in E-flat major, introduced by horns and clarinets in piano, which grows into a powerful fortissisimo climax. A transition leads to the agitated and passionate second theme in C minor, which also rises in a great peak before subsiding, giving way to graceful woodwind solos. The development transforms and modulates the material through multiple keys, culminating in a solemn and broad fortissisimo climax. Woodwind solos briefly interrupt before the development continues, this time reaching a dramatic second climax. After a short pause, the themes are then recapitulated in the home key of E-flat major. A dramatic gesture begins the coda, verging between C minor and E-flat major before ending in a solemn way.
The second movement is monothematic, taking the form of a tarantella, a dance of Neapolitan origin. It opens with a rhythmic and vivacious main theme in C major, introduced in piano by violins before passing to full orchestra in forte. A more cantabile variation quickly follows and offers contrast. Then the main theme is developed through modulation and polyphonic treatment of the material. It culminates in a fugato development begun on strings, with more instruments being added as voices. A vigorous restatement of the main theme leads to a vibrant coda.
The third movement is a nocturne written in form of an arch. It begins with a deeply lyrical main theme in A-flat major, presented by the clarinet in piano over muted violins and violas. It unfolds in a gentle and flowing counterpoint between woodwinds and strings, reaching a richly scored central climax. No contrasting material or new ideas are introduced, instead the main theme is recapitulated in a varied way. The nocturne concludes with a short transition that leads to the finale.
The fourth movement is structured as a sonata-rondo (A-B-A'-C-A''-B'-A'''-Coda). It opens with a brief introduction, leading to a solemn and hymn-like main theme in E-flat major, presented by low strings in forte before passing to clarinets and the rest of woodwinds. A more imperious passionate second theme is then introduced, more unstable and ambiguous in its harmonies. The main theme is then recapitulated, leading to a stormy C minor development of the material. Follows a varied recapitulation of the main theme with woodwind solos. Then the second theme is recapitulated in a climactic section, leading to a solemn repeat of the main theme. The work ends with a vigorous coda.
Picture: "The Sweet Landscape" (1882) by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes.
Musical analysis mostly written by myself. Sources: tinyurl.com/2y4ojvzm and tinyurl.com/26amnn3x
Score: tinyurl.com/265xl7qm
Mainz Philharmonic State Orchestra conducted by Hermann Bäumer.
I - Allegro tranquillo: 0:00
II - Tarantella. Molto allegro e con fuoco - Poco più animato: 11:20
III - Notturno. Andante - (attacca): 15:19
IV - Finale. Poco animato e sempre più - Allegro - Più mosso - Stretto: 21:57
Gernsheim's Symphony No.2 was composed between August and December 1880, following the success of the first one. It was dedicated to the Hamburg Philharmonic Society, which had performed Gernsheim’s first symphony. The work was premiered in Rotterdam on March 16 of 1882, during the composer’s tenure as Music Director of the city’s Philharmonic Society. Following a Bonn performance in late November, the Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung lauded the work as "one of the most significant symphonic creations of recent years". In the U.S. it was premiered on December 8 of that year, performed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by George Henschel.
Gernsheim was a conservative composer and a friend of Johannes Brahms, to whom he is frequently compared. They met on 1862 and both shared their disregard for program music and lack of interest in opera. Gernsheim had learned much from Brahms, especially in his manner of working out thematic content and, to a lesser extent, in his manner of orchestration. However, his music also successfully melds together echoes of Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Spohr, Schubert and (of course) Brahms into a convincing style of his own. Rossini, who Gernsheim met in Paris, may have been an influential as well, and Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony may have served as a model.
Gernsheim married Helene Hernsheim on May 1 of 1877, and the couple took a honeymoon trip to Naples, where, according to Karl Holl: "The atmosphere of the days spent there gave renewed wing to his creative fantasy and was captured for all time in the lines, colours, and rhythms of the Second Symphony in E-flat, op. 46." Rotterdam’s newspaper, the Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant, cautiously gave the work as a whole the nickname "Italian" Symphony, adding that it "transports the listener to the fiery and colourful South". The second movement, a tarantella, was so well-received at its premiere that it had to be encored.
The first movement is structured in sonata form. It begins with a lyrical and calm main theme in E-flat major, introduced by horns and clarinets in piano, which grows into a powerful fortissisimo climax. A transition leads to the agitated and passionate second theme in C minor, which also rises in a great peak before subsiding, giving way to graceful woodwind solos. The development transforms and modulates the material through multiple keys, culminating in a solemn and broad fortissisimo climax. Woodwind solos briefly interrupt before the development continues, this time reaching a dramatic second climax. After a short pause, the themes are then recapitulated in the home key of E-flat major. A dramatic gesture begins the coda, verging between C minor and E-flat major before ending in a solemn way.
The second movement is monothematic, taking the form of a tarantella, a dance of Neapolitan origin. It opens with a rhythmic and vivacious main theme in C major, introduced in piano by violins before passing to full orchestra in forte. A more cantabile variation quickly follows and offers contrast. Then the main theme is developed through modulation and polyphonic treatment of the material. It culminates in a fugato development begun on strings, with more instruments being added as voices. A vigorous restatement of the main theme leads to a vibrant coda.
The third movement is a nocturne written in form of an arch. It begins with a deeply lyrical main theme in A-flat major, presented by the clarinet in piano over muted violins and violas. It unfolds in a gentle and flowing counterpoint between woodwinds and strings, reaching a richly scored central climax. No contrasting material or new ideas are introduced, instead the main theme is recapitulated in a varied way. The nocturne concludes with a short transition that leads to the finale.
The fourth movement is structured as a sonata-rondo (A-B-A'-C-A''-B'-A'''-Coda). It opens with a brief introduction, leading to a solemn and hymn-like main theme in E-flat major, presented by low strings in forte before passing to clarinets and the rest of woodwinds. A more imperious passionate second theme is then introduced, more unstable and ambiguous in its harmonies. The main theme is then recapitulated, leading to a stormy C minor development of the material. Follows a varied recapitulation of the main theme with woodwind solos. Then the second theme is recapitulated in a climactic section, leading to a solemn repeat of the main theme. The work ends with a vigorous coda.
Picture: "The Sweet Landscape" (1882) by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes.
Musical analysis mostly written by myself. Sources: tinyurl.com/2y4ojvzm and tinyurl.com/26amnn3x
Score: tinyurl.com/265xl7qm
