Synopsis

When asked to name some important musical works associated with World War II, music lovers are apt to think of the sonatas and symphonies Prokofiev and Shostakovich wrote during those years. But three symphonies by Swiss composer Arthur Honegger form another compelling war triptych.

Honegger spent the war years in occupied France, and his Symphony No. 2, which premiered in 1942, might be considered a symphony of the grim wartime resistance. It is scored for strings alone, but at the very end includes an optional trumpet solo, a dramatic gesture that seems an emotional call to action.

Honegger’s Symphony No. 3, which premiered on August 17, 1946, is titled A Liturgical Symphony, with the titles of each of its movements taken from the Latin Mass for the Dead. Considering the great loss of life on all sides of the conflict just ended, this work, too, packs an emotional wallop.

And to round out the triptych, Honegger’s Symphony No. 4, from 1947, is subtitled The Delights of Basel. This music captures the elusive and bittersweet mood of a Europe tentatively groping its way back to normal life, closing with a decidedly wistful evocation of carnival time in the Swiss city of Basel.

Music Played in Today's Program

Arthur Honegger (1892-1955): Symphonies Nos. 2 and 3 Oslo Philharmonic; Mariss Jansons, conductor; EMI 55122

Arthur Honegger (1892-1955): Symphony No. 4 (Deliciae Basiliensis) Lausanne Chamber Orchestra; Jesus Lopez-Cobos, conductor; Virgin 91486