Dmitry Kabalevsky's Symphony No. 2 in C minor, Op. 19, written in 1934, is the second of the four symphonies he wrote and the most performed and recorded of the cycle,Russian, Soviet & Post-Soviet Symphonies. Musicweb International probably owing to its sense of drama, bright orchestration and expressive straightforwardness, ranging from melancholy to jubilance.Historia de la Sinfonía.Naxos Records With a dramatic and agitated yet extroverted, lyrical and fairly positive outlook, like other dramatic Russian symphonies from the Stalinist era it was alleged to deal with the struggle of mankind to reform society within Soviet values.Allmusic

The symphony was premiered on December 25, 1934 in the Moscow Conservatory's Large Hall by the Moscow Philharmonic under Albert Coates.Edition Sikorski The international première was carried out (and recorded) in New York City on November 8, 1942 by the NBC Orchestra conducted by Arturo Toscanini, and it was well received, according to Olin Downes' review for the New York Times.TOSCANINI OFFERS NEW RUSSIAN WORK; Directs NBC Orchestra in the U.S. Premiere of Second Kabalevsky Symphony FINE IMPRESSION CREATED Opening Movement Buoyant in Approach to Climax -- Creative School Hinted. Olin Downes, 9 November 1942 Toscanini, who championed the overture from Kabalevsky's opera Colas Breugnon, would play it again in 1945.Musicweb International

Movements

There are three movements:

Discography Orchestra Conductor Location Year Label(s) Duration NBC Symphony Arturo Toscanini Radio City, New York 1942 Melodiya, Pristine 23:21 Accademia di Santa Cecilia Orchestra Jacques Rachmilovich Teatro Argentina, Rome 1949 Capitol, Naxos 21:20 Moscow Radio Symphony Nikolai Anosov 1953 Melodiya, Monarch 24:18 New Philharmonia David Measham St Giles-without-Cripplegate, London 1973 HNH, Unicorn 23:51 Szeged Symphony Ervin Acél 1977 Olympia 27:34 Plovdiv Philharmonic Dimiter Manolov 1991 Balkanton Armenian Philharmonic Loris Tjeknavorian Aram Khachaturian Hall, Yerevan 1997 ASV 26:53 NDR Radiophilharmonie Eiji Oue Landesfunkhaus Niedersachsen, Hanover 2001/02 CPO 25:37 BBC Philharmonic Neeme Järvi New Broadcasting House, Manchester 2006 Chandos 24:11 Malmö Symphony Darrell Ang Malmö Live, Malmö 2017 Naxos 23:21

References