Carl Czerny's Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op. 780, also known as the Grand Symphony, is a Romantic symphony in four movements.
History and details Although it was Czerny's first numbered symphony, he had written another symphony earlier, Symphony in D major, but it was not numbered. The work is dedicated to the Conservatory of Music in Vienna, according to the composer's copy. The Haslinger edition, however, lists Franz Liszt as the dedicatee.See IMSLP. This symphony shows the influence of his teacher, Ludwig van Beethoven.
Instrumentation The symphony is scored for a piccolo (movements 1, 3 and 4 only), 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, 3 trombones (movements 1, 3 and 4 only), ophicleide (movements 1, 3 and 4 only), and strings.
Form This symphony consists of four movements:
A typical performance of this symphony lasts around 35 minutes.
I. Allegro agitato con brio This movement is in sonata form. It is in the key of C minor and has common time as its time signature. Like the first movement of most symphonies, this movement is in sonata form.
The exposition starts with a fortissimo announcement of the first subject by full orchestra except the trombones and the ophicleide.
After a few transitions, it arrives in E major, the relative key of the tonic key. The second subject is introduced, which contrasts the first subject. It is first played by the strings, then by the woodwinds. There is a closing theme and the exposition concludes in the same key and is repeated.
The development section begins by playing fragments of the rhythm of the first subject, followed by modulating the closing theme to other keys, such as E major, A minor, B major. The second subject is developed in G major and a few other keys. Then, there is a fugue section in the strings, which is at times doubled by the woodwinds. The music gradually becomes louder and the full orchestra plays the second subject in A major. It also develops some of the transition themes. The music builds tension which leads to the recapitulation.
The recapitulation has the first subject played by full orchestra, including the trombones and ophicleide. The transition themes then follow, leading into the second subject played in C major, the parallel key.
The coda has fragments of the first subject and scales in the violins and other themes. The movement ends with C minor chords being played repeatedly by full orchestra.
II. Andante sostenuto
III. Scherzo. Vivace Presto This movement is in time and in ternary form. The scherzo is played in C minor, followed by the contrasting trio in C major. The scherzo returns again and the movement ends.
IV. Finale. Allegro vivace
Recordings The symphony has been recorded only a few times. The most notable example is by the Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester Frankfurt conducted by Nikos Athineos, which was recorded in 1997.
Another performance was recorded in 2002 by the Ulster Orchestra conducted by Jurjen Hempel.
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