Symphonie Liturgique
Encyclopedia
Symphonie Liturgique is the Third Symphony by the Swiss composer Arthur Honegger
.
Composed in the aftermath of World War II, it is one of Honegger's best-known works. It is in three movements, each of which (following the symphony's subtitle) is named after part of the Requiem Mass
. The first movement, Dies irae
, is marked allegro marcato, and has an aggressive, storm-like quality. The slow movement, De profundis clamavi
, is in contrast meditative and lyrical. The finale, Dona nobis pacem
, is more episodic, with an insistent, brutal marching rhythm building to a dissonant climax, before a long, lyrical coda concludes the work. A melody resembling the robin
song from Jeanne d'Arc au Bûcher
, can be heard towards the end of each movement.
Honegger himself wrote an extensive commentary on the work, making explicit the music's connection with the horrors of the War, and the desire for peace.
Written in 1945-46 on a commission from the Foundation Pro Helvetia, Honegger's Third was first performed in Zürich
on 17 August 1946 with Charles Münch
conducting the Suisse Romande Orchestra. It has been performed and recorded many times, and was a speciality of Herbert von Karajan
, who made a recording of it (with Honegger's Second Symphony
) in 1973 which is still widely regarded as its finest interpretation.
Symphonie Liturgique has strong thematic similarities with Benjamin Britten
's Sinfonia da Requiem
written in 1940, although it is in no sense imitative or a reworking of the earlier piece.
Arthur Honegger
Arthur Honegger was a Swiss composer, who was born in France and lived a large part of his life in Paris. He was a member of Les six. His most frequently performed work is probably the orchestral work Pacific 231, which is interpreted as imitating the sound of a steam locomotive.-Biography:Born...
.
Composed in the aftermath of World War II, it is one of Honegger's best-known works. It is in three movements, each of which (following the symphony's subtitle) is named after part of the Requiem Mass
Requiem
A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead or Mass of the dead , is a Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal...
. The first movement, Dies irae
Dies Irae
Dies Irae is a thirteenth century Latin hymn thought to be written by Thomas of Celano . It is a medieval Latin poem characterized by its accentual stress and its rhymed lines. The metre is trochaic...
, is marked allegro marcato, and has an aggressive, storm-like quality. The slow movement, De profundis clamavi
Psalm 130
Psalm 130 , traditionally De profundis from its Latin incipit, is one of the Penitential psalms.-Commentary:...
, is in contrast meditative and lyrical. The finale, Dona nobis pacem
Dona nobis pacem
Dona nobis pacem is a phrase in the Agnus Dei section of the Roman Catholic mass. The phrase, in isolation, has been appropriated for a number of works, which include:* Dona nobis pacem, a traditional canon...
, is more episodic, with an insistent, brutal marching rhythm building to a dissonant climax, before a long, lyrical coda concludes the work. A melody resembling the robin
European Robin
The European Robin , most commonly known in Anglophone Europe simply as the Robin, is a small insectivorous passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family , but is now considered to be an Old World flycatcher...
song from Jeanne d'Arc au Bûcher
Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher
Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher is an oratorio by Arthur Honegger, originally commissioned by Ida Rubinstein. The drama takes place during the heroine's trial and execution, with flashbacks to her younger days...
, can be heard towards the end of each movement.
Honegger himself wrote an extensive commentary on the work, making explicit the music's connection with the horrors of the War, and the desire for peace.
Written in 1945-46 on a commission from the Foundation Pro Helvetia, Honegger's Third was first performed in Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
on 17 August 1946 with Charles Münch
Charles Münch
Charles Munch was an Alsatian symphonic conductor and violinist. Noted for his mastery of the French orchestral repertoire, he is best known as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.-Biography:...
conducting the Suisse Romande Orchestra. It has been performed and recorded many times, and was a speciality of Herbert von Karajan
Herbert von Karajan
Herbert von Karajan was an Austrian orchestra and opera conductor. To the wider world he was perhaps most famously associated with the Berlin Philharmonic, of which he was principal conductor for 35 years...
, who made a recording of it (with Honegger's Second Symphony
Symphony No. 2 (Honegger)
The Symphony for strings and trumpet in D , Arthur Honegger's second, was commissioned in 1937 by Paul Sacher to mark the tenth anniversary of the Basel Chamber Orchestra...
) in 1973 which is still widely regarded as its finest interpretation.
Symphonie Liturgique has strong thematic similarities with Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
's Sinfonia da Requiem
Sinfonia da Requiem
Sinfonia da Requiem, Op. 20, for orchestra is a symphony written by Benjamin Britten in 1940 at the age of 26. It was one of several works commissioned from different composers by the Japanese Government to mark the 2,600th anniversary of the founding of the Japanese Empire...
written in 1940, although it is in no sense imitative or a reworking of the earlier piece.