A sweeping powerhouse work by Samuel Barber that is every bit as great as his first symphony. Can't imagine why Barber had such doubts about it & wanted it trashed. All I can say is thank God it was preserved.
I heard a recording of this symphony many years ago and was fascinated. I think it needs to be heard a number of times to really appreciate what a truly great piece of music it is. Thanks to the Detroit Symphony for this live performance.
I met Gian Carlo Menotti at a concert lecture in Chicago and he was guarded about Mr. Barber I got he was a peace person and anything that glorified violence was not in his nature. Thus a musical work advancing that would be contrary to his views. I am so glad this work has survived. It is not a celebration but a doc. of an era.Peace
Brett Wilcots I think it is rather a patriotic/heroic piece more than a glorification of violence, for what I've read about. In the end, because WW2 came to be seen historically as the apex of human violence, I think Barber withdrew it. Destiny was to prove that in spite of its warlike subtext, it was a masterpiece.
Menotti and Barber lived together. They kept this as secret as possible. However at least 5 or more of that generation of American composers were gay men!
At first I was influenced by the fact that Barber turned his back on this wonderful symphony. Now I listen to it as "pure music". It doesn't need a program. Forget all the "boompf".
Symphony #1 has passages that sound like an airplane receiving radio signals. Then the plane wavers and gets back on course. I think Barber mentioned that in a description of the music. Parts if it were used in radio productions at the time for dramatic effect.
When I was a boy in high school, I had an LP of this symphony, conducted by the composer, which I almost wore out, playing it over and over! I as I remember, Barber's version was a bit up tempo from this, and tighter in general. But this version has it's points.
This is clearly dedicated to USAF defender of liberty not destroyer of Vietnam. Who can blame him. Like Beethoven's alleged destruction of his eroica 3rd dedicated to Nepolean Bonepart. It should be pointed out that US Army Air Corps bomber crew losses at the time of this composition were about 50%. Regardless Barber is axiomatically great.
I like this performance more than Alsop's. Alsop's is quite good but I think Jarvi's energy and tempi go very well with it. It's an interesting debate as to whether we should even be hearing this or not since Barber wanted it erased from existence (although how realistic can that be in the 20th century?). I think in pure musical terms the second movement more than justifies its life. If you weigh the music against the era it was written in, I can't take this purely as propaganda. Amidst all of the chaos you also get a feeling of isolation that must've been endured by the pilots. For purely selfish reasons, I'd like to hear a performance of this with the tone machine as originally written (Barber changed that part to clarinet later on). That would be interesting, although I don't know how the ghost of Barber would feel about it.
Composers are Knopf necessarily the best judges of their own works. At a concert I had some pieces performed, and the one I thought was the weakest met with the more effusive comments from the audience afterwards.
I wonder what Barber was thinking when he wrote this symphony? And when he suppressed it? It's called the "Flight Symphony". Now, if somebody were to listen to this symphony with absolutely NO knowledge of its title and/or program, would they have a clue as to what it was about? Confession: having listened to this symphony with full knowledge of its title, I still hear no connection to World War II. A nice symphony and all that. But not that different from dozens of other symphonies written during World War II. Some with programs and titles, some without.
This a slightly edited version. The original used electronic early sythn replaced by some with the e flat clarinet as a siren arircraft sound. So your hearing a slightly incomplete version.Peace.
@@brettwilcots8608 No, not incomplete. Barber revised it extensively and arrived at a version that pleased him. It was published only as "Second Symphony," with no electronics and no reference to flight. It was later, in 1964, that he decided to suppress it.
I used to live in Detroit. great Symphony (also many competent small symphonies such as the Downriver SO and the Livonia SO and, iirc, the Rochester SO) and great museums. Crappy city and crappy, uneducated, people living there, though. Left in 2011, won't be back. Stay out of Detroit until they have fixed the public schools and (at least) a generation has passed. There is no quick fix for a million poorly educated people.
A sweeping powerhouse work by Samuel Barber that is every bit as great as his first symphony. Can't imagine why Barber had such doubts about it & wanted it trashed. All I can say is thank God it was preserved.
Obviously, what a powerful performance of such a grand American symphony.
The second mvmt helped me through the grief of many of my friends that died in the 80's-90's.Peace.
Thanks, Brett. Had the same experience in the months before and after my father died.
@@enkiduudikne Peace my new friend.
I'm glad this symphony was rescued, it's a wonderful piece.
I don't care what meaning or politics is involved. I'm just tickled pink to have more Barber to listen to
This is wonderful piece of music.
I heard a recording of this symphony many years ago and was fascinated. I think it needs to be heard a number of times to really appreciate what a truly great piece of music it is. Thanks to the Detroit Symphony for this live performance.
I met Gian Carlo Menotti at a concert lecture in Chicago and he was guarded about Mr. Barber I got he was a peace person and anything that glorified violence was not in his nature. Thus a musical work advancing that would be contrary to his views. I am so glad this work has survived. It is not a celebration but a doc. of an era.Peace
Brett Wilcots I think it is rather a patriotic/heroic piece more than a glorification of violence, for what I've read about. In the end, because WW2 came to be seen historically as the apex of human violence, I think Barber withdrew it. Destiny was to prove that in spite of its warlike subtext, it was a masterpiece.
Great dramatic music!
Menotti and Barber lived together. They kept this as secret as possible. However at least 5 or more of that generation of American composers were gay men!
I know. Peace.
Does it matter?
I'm just glad it was found. It has been a source of music refuge as well as celebration.
At first I was influenced by the fact that Barber turned his back on this wonderful symphony. Now I listen to it as "pure music". It doesn't need a program. Forget all the "boompf".
I actually much prefer this to Barber's 1st Symphony. This one is more "angular" more "muscular," more virile. Just much more powerful, overall.
This is great! Thanks for sharing! Very accessible & dramatic.
Symphony #1 has passages that sound like an airplane receiving radio signals. Then the plane wavers and gets back on course. I think Barber mentioned that in a description of the music. Parts if it were used in radio productions at the time for dramatic effect.
When I was a boy in high school, I had an LP of this symphony, conducted by the composer, which I almost wore out, playing it over and over! I as I remember, Barber's version was a bit up tempo from this, and tighter in general. But this version has it's points.
This is clearly dedicated to USAF defender of liberty not destroyer of Vietnam. Who can blame him. Like Beethoven's alleged destruction of his eroica 3rd dedicated to Nepolean Bonepart. It should be pointed out that US Army Air Corps bomber crew losses at the time of this composition were about 50%. Regardless Barber is axiomatically great.
Beethoven's "alleged destruction" was of the title page dedicated to Bonaparte, not the symphony itself.
How about giving photo art credit to artist?
8:14 recalls some of the dramatic parts in the Back to the Future II soundtrack.
I like this performance more than Alsop's. Alsop's is quite good but I think Jarvi's energy and tempi go very well with it.
It's an interesting debate as to whether we should even be hearing this or not since Barber wanted it erased from existence (although how realistic can that be in the 20th century?). I think in pure musical terms the second movement more than justifies its life. If you weigh the music against the era it was written in, I can't take this purely as propaganda. Amidst all of the chaos you also get a feeling of isolation that must've been endured by the pilots.
For purely selfish reasons, I'd like to hear a performance of this with the tone machine as originally written (Barber changed that part to clarinet later on). That would be interesting, although I don't know how the ghost of Barber would feel about it.
Composers are Knopf necessarily the best judges of their own works. At a concert I had some pieces performed, and the one I thought was the weakest met with the more effusive comments from the audience afterwards.
I wonder what Barber was thinking when he wrote this symphony? And when he suppressed it? It's called the "Flight Symphony". Now, if somebody were to listen to this symphony with absolutely NO knowledge of its title and/or program, would they have a clue as to what it was about?
Confession: having listened to this symphony with full knowledge of its title, I still hear no connection to World War II. A nice symphony and all that. But not that different from dozens of other symphonies written during World War II. Some with programs and titles, some without.
+Harry Andruschak Yes, I like to think that we can hear the aircraft engines in this; - think of 633 Squadron by Ron Goodwin.
This a slightly edited version. The original used electronic early sythn replaced by some with the e flat clarinet as a siren arircraft sound. So your hearing a slightly incomplete version.Peace.
@@brettwilcots8608 No, not incomplete. Barber revised it extensively and arrived at a version that pleased him. It was published only as "Second Symphony," with no electronics and no reference to flight. It was later, in 1964, that he decided to suppress it.
I used to live in Detroit. great Symphony (also many competent small symphonies such as the Downriver SO and the Livonia SO and, iirc, the Rochester SO) and great museums.
Crappy city and crappy, uneducated, people living there, though. Left in 2011, won't be back.
Stay out of Detroit until they have fixed the public schools and (at least) a generation has passed. There is no quick fix for a million poorly educated people.
You spoiled your whole post with that nasty, uncalled-for last line.