Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 2 in D Major, (Op. 36) was written between 1801 and 1802 and is dedicated to Prince Lichnowsky. “Beethoven” redirects here. ... The Union Jack, flag of the newly formed United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ... --69. ... Karl Alois, Fürst von Lichnowsky-Woschütz, (also written Carl Alois Johann-Nepomuk Vinzenz, second Prince Lichnowsky) (1761-1814) was a chamberlain at the Imperial Austrian court. ...

Background

Beethoven's Second Symphony was mostly written during Beethoven's stay at Heiligenstadt in 1802, which was near the time that he began to realize he was becoming deaf. Beethoven wrote the Second Symphony without having a standard minuet; a scherzo took its place, which gave the composition even greater scope and energy. After the symphony's premiere, critics noted the absence of the traditional minuet, and claimed the composition had great strength, but was altogether too eccentric^{[citation needed]}. Heiligenstadt is a part of the Vienna district Döbling. ... A minuet, sometimes spelled menuet, is a social dance of French origin for two persons, usually in 3/4 time. ... A scherzo (plural scherzi) is a name given to a piece of music or a movement from a larger piece such as a symphony. ...

The work was premiered in the Theater an der Wien in Vienna on April 5, 1803, and was conducted by the composer. It is one of the last works of Beethoven's so-called "early period". The Theater an der Wien is a historic theatre in Vienna. ... For other uses, see Vienna (disambiguation). ... is the 95th day of the year (96th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1803 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

Orchestration

The symphony is scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets in A, two bassoons, two horns in D and E, two trumpets in D, timpani and strings. â™  This article is about the family of musical instruments. ... The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. ... Two soprano clarinets: a Bâ™­ clarinet (left, with capped mouthpiece) and an A clarinet (right, with no mouthpiece). ... The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers and occasionally even higher. ... For other uses, see Horn. ... The trumpet is a musical instrument in the brass family. ... A timpanist in the United States Air Forces in Europe Band. ... A string instrument (or stringed instrument) is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. ...

Form

This symphony consists of four movements:

1. Adagio molto — Allegro con brio
2. Larghetto
3. Scherzo: Allegro
4. Allegro molto

Its duration is thirty-six minutes. In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... This article is about tempo in music. ... In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ... In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for time) is the speed or pace of a given piece. ...

First movement

The Introduction, Adagio molto, begins in D major, changing to B♭ major in measure 11. In measures 26-28, it briefly modulates to A major and immediately back to D. The exposition (Allegro con brio) begins in D major with the A theme lasting until measure 57. A transition towards the B theme lasts until measure 72, modulating to A minor at measure 61. The B theme begins in A major at 73, moving to A minor again at 113 with a codetta from measure 117-136 (moving to D major in measure 120). The development uses material from the A theme, going through several modulations throughout and making use of the main idea from Theme A in sequence. At measure 216, the A theme returns in the recapitulation, lasting until measure 228. There is a retransition from 229-244, bringing back the B theme at measure 245, this time in the tonic key. At 327, B♭ major returns briefly, moving back to D in 334 with a Coda from measures 340-360. Coda sign Coda (Italian for tail; from the Latin cauda), in music, is a passage which brings a movement or a separate piece to a conclusion through prolongation. ...

Second movement

This movement, Larghetto, is one of Beethoven's longest symphonic slow movements. There are clear indications of the influence of folk music and the pastoral, presaging his Symphony No. 6 ("Pastoral"). Folk music can have a number of different meanings, including: Traditional music: The original meaning of the term folk music was synonymous with the term Traditional music, also often including World Music and Roots music; the term Traditional music was given its more specific meaning to distinguish it from the... Titians The Pastoral Concert Pastoral refers to the lifestyle of shepherds and pastoralists, moving livestock around larger areas of land according to seasons and availability of water and feed. ... Ludwig van Beethovens Symphony No. ...

Third movement

This movement, Scherzo: Allegro, encloses a melodious oboe and bassoon quartet within typical-sounding Austrian side-slapping dance. A quartet is a group of four identical or similar objects, or a grouping of four persons for a common purpose. ...

Fourth movement

The fourth movement, Allegro molto, is comprised of very rapid string passages.

External links

• Analysis of Beethoven Symphony No.2 on the All About Ludwig van Beethoven Page
• Complete performance by the Philadelphia Orchestra.
• Symphony No. 2: Free scores at the International Music Score Library Project.