Symphony no. 2 (D major) op. 36
Listening samples
Dedication
Composition
Begun ca. autumn 1800, finished April 1802, possibly revised later for publication
No handwritten sources (apart from a few sketches) have survived for Beethoven's Second Symphony. Ferdinand Ries, his long-standing pupil and friend, reported that Beethoven had given him the autograph score of the symphony. Unfortunately it was stolen from him 'by a friend out of pure friendship'.
Beethoven did not work continually on the symphony, interrupting his work on it several times. As the sketches show, he probably began writing down initial ideas for it in autumn 1800. In the following winter 1800-01, he put the symphony aside and turned to work on the ballet score for 'The Creatures of Prometheus' (op. 43). As the 'Sauer Sketchbook' that Beethoven used between spring and autumn 1801 cannot be fully reconstructed, we cannot say for certain whether it contained sketches for the Second Symphony. However, in all probability Beethoven resumed work on op. 36 in autumn 1801 and completed it no later than April 1802. Originally he planned to perform the work at an academy, but it failed to take place because he was unable to rent the theatre. The first known public performance took place on 5 April 1803, together with opp. 21, 37 and 85. Yet the symphony may already have been heard in a private concert at Prince Lichnowsky's or some other nobleman’s residence. In all likelihood Beethoven revised the symphony before it was published in Vienna at the end of 1803.
Owing to mistaken dates in the earlier biographical literature, concert guides (and therefore programme notes) often place the genesis of the Second Symphony around the time of the 'Heiligenstadt Testament' and evince surprise at its completely different character. More recent sketch analysis has cleared up this confusion: Beethoven had already composed the symphony before his summer sojourn in Heiligenstadt, where he wrote his 'testament' in a state of deep depression. (J.R.)
Beethoven did not work continually on the symphony, interrupting his work on it several times. As the sketches show, he probably began writing down initial ideas for it in autumn 1800. In the following winter 1800-01, he put the symphony aside and turned to work on the ballet score for 'The Creatures of Prometheus' (op. 43). As the 'Sauer Sketchbook' that Beethoven used between spring and autumn 1801 cannot be fully reconstructed, we cannot say for certain whether it contained sketches for the Second Symphony. However, in all probability Beethoven resumed work on op. 36 in autumn 1801 and completed it no later than April 1802. Originally he planned to perform the work at an academy, but it failed to take place because he was unable to rent the theatre. The first known public performance took place on 5 April 1803, together with opp. 21, 37 and 85. Yet the symphony may already have been heard in a private concert at Prince Lichnowsky's or some other nobleman’s residence. In all likelihood Beethoven revised the symphony before it was published in Vienna at the end of 1803.
Owing to mistaken dates in the earlier biographical literature, concert guides (and therefore programme notes) often place the genesis of the Second Symphony around the time of the 'Heiligenstadt Testament' and evince surprise at its completely different character. More recent sketch analysis has cleared up this confusion: Beethoven had already composed the symphony before his summer sojourn in Heiligenstadt, where he wrote his 'testament' in a state of deep depression. (J.R.)
