History Symphony No. 2

Composed

• Year 1888
• Year 1889
• Year 1890
• Year 1891
• Year 1892
• Year 1893
• Year 1894

Performances by Gustav Mahler

• 1895 Concert Berlin 04-03-1895 – Symphony No. 2 – movement 1, 2 and 3 (Premiere)
• 1895 Concert Berlin 13-12-1895 – Symphony No. 2 (Premiere)
• 1896 Concert Leipzig 14-12-1896 – Symphony No. 2 – movement 1 and 2
• 1899 Concert Liege 22-01-1899 – Symphony No. 2
• 1899 Concert Vienna 09-04-1899 – Symphony No. 2
• 1900 Concert Munich 20-10-1900 – Symphony No. 2
• 1903 Concert Basel 15-06-1903 – Symphony No. 2
• 1904 Concert Amsterdam 26-10-1904 – Symphony No. 2
• 1904 Concert Amsterdam 27-10-1904 – Symphony No. 2
• 1907 Concert Vienna 24-11-1907 – Symphony No. 2
• 1908 Concert New York 08-12-1908 – Symphony No. 2
• 1910 Concert Paris 17-04-1910 – Symphony No. 2

Versions and publications

• 00-01-1888 Work on the first movement
• 00-04-1888 Themes for the second movement sketched
• 08-09-1888 Orchestral draft of first movement completed
• 01-09-1888 Autograph full score of first movement completed
• 01-10-1889 Press reports announcing the forthcoming première of the First Symphony refer to another such work, Movement 1: Allegro maestoso: Mit durchaus ernstem und feierlichem Ausdruck, which will be performed in Munich during the winter season
• 00-00-1891 Mahler plays the first movement to Hans von Bulow (1830-1894)
• 08-07-1893 Autograph piano and voice version of Lied 6: Des Antonius von Padua Fischpredigt completed
• 16-07-1893 Orchestral draft of the third movement completed
• 19-07-1893 Autograph full score of Movement 4: “Urlicht”. Sehr feierlich, aber schlicht completed
• 30-07-1893 OrchestralFfifth draft of the second movement completed 
• 01-08-1893 Autograph orchestral version of Lied 6: Des Antonius von Padua Fischpredigt completed
• 12-02-1894 Death of Hans von Bulow (1830-1894) in Cairo
• 29-03-1894 Funeral service in Hamburg for Hans von Bulow (1830-1894): Mahler hears Friedrich Klopstock (1724-1803)s Die Auferstehen (Movement 5: “Aufersteh’n”. Im Tempo des Scherzos. Wild herausfahrend)
• 29-04-1894 New autograph full score of the first movement completed 
• 13-06-1894 Mahler gave Grafin Maria Misa von Wydenbruck-Esterhazy (1859-1926) a rough cut of the Finale of Symphony No. 2, dated 13-06-1894.
• 13-06-1894 Determination of the order of the movements:

Year 1894, Steinbach, Wednesday, 13-06-1894. Movements of Symphony No. 2.

Year 1894, Steinbach, Wednesday, 13-06-1894. Movements of Symphony No. 2.

Year 1894, Steinbach, Wednesday, 13-06-1894. Movements of Symphony No. 2.

• 29-06-1894 A short score (lost) of the finale probably completed by this date
• 27-07-1894 A (lost) orchestral draft of the finale completed by this date
• 18-12-1894 Autograph full score of the Second Symphony completed

         

          18-12-1894. Manuscript Symphony No. 2 sign off.

• 00-12-1894 Copyist’s full score of the first three movements (1, 3, 2) prepared.
• 04-01-1895 Manuscript parts for the first three movements completed by this date.
• 12-01-1895 Mahler holds a run-through of the first three movements in Hamburg.
• 04-03-1895 First performance of the first three movements (1, 2, 3) in Berlin, conducted by Mahler. 1895 Concert Berlin 04-03-1895 – Symphony No. 2 – movement 1, 2 and 3 (Premiere).
• 00-10-1895 Copyist’s full score of the complete (?) Symphony prepared.
• 17-10-1895 First batch of chorus parts for the Symphony were ready by this date.
• 08-12-1895 Letter to Anna Bahr-von Mildenburg (1872-1947) about his search for the bells.
• 13-12-1895 First complete performance of the Symphony, conducted by Mahler in Berlin. 1895 Concert Berlin 13-12-1895 – Symphony No. 2 (Premiere).
• 00-01-1896 Hermann Behn (1857-1927)‘s two-piano arrangement of the Symphony published.
• 14-12-1896 Performance 1896 Concert Leipzig 14-12-1896 – Symphony No. 2 – movement 1 and 200-12-1895 First edition of the vocal score of Lied 11: Urlicht published.
• 00-01-1897 Dresden: 

Year 1897. Musical quotation from Symphony No. 2 for Winifeld Ker Seymer (Winifred Ker-Seymour). Comprising the opening two bars of the third movement, written on a single hand-drawn stave, marked “ƒƒƒƒ” and heavily accented, inscribed by the composer: “Fräulein Winifeld Ker Seymer”, 1 page, on an albumleaf (c.22 x 17.5cm), paginated (“40”), Dresden, January 1897.

• 15-01-1897 Dresden: Ernst von Schuch (1846-1914) conducts Movement 2, Movement 3 and Movement 4 of Symphony No. 2 in Dresden. Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) is present. Meeting with Wilhelm Jahn (1835-1900), director of the Vienna State Opera.
• 00-02-1897 First edition of the full score published by Hofmeister music publishers. 
• 00-03-1897 The rights transferred from Hofmeister music publishers to Weinberger music publishers.
• 00-00-1899 Second issue (Titelauflage) of the full score and the scecond edition of the vocal score of Urlicht published.
• 00-00-1899 First edition of the orchestral and vocal parts prepared.
• 00-01-1899 First edition of the piano duet arrangement published.
• 20-12-1901 Four years after his testimony of 1897, on 20-12-1901 (Year 1901), Gustav Mahler participates in a performance of Symphony No. 2 by Ernst von Schuch (1846-1914) in Dresden and further filled out his religious vision in the program notes. See Religion.
• 00-00-1903 Second edition of the orchestral and chorus parts published
• 15-06-1903 Performance at the Tonkünstlerfest des Allgemeinen Deutschen Musikvereins in Basel, conducted by Mahler. 1903 Concert Basel 15-06-1903 – Symphony No. 2.
• 18-12-1903 Performance by Oskar Nedbal (1874-1930) in Rudolfinum, Prague. 
• 00-04-1906 April First edition of the study score published.
• 08-12-1908 Performance at New York, conducted by Mahler. 1908 Concert New York 08-12-1908 – Symphony No. 2.
• 17-04-1910 The last performance of the work conducted by Mahler, in Paris. 1910 Concert Paris 17-04-1910 – Symphony No. 2
• 00-00-1910 Second edition by Universal Edition (UE) music publishers.
• 00-03-1911 Third edition of Urlicht published.
• 00-10-1911 Second edition of the piano duet arrangement published.
• 00-03-1913 Second edition of the full score published.
• 00-04-1914 Only edition of the arrangement for 2 pianos, 8 hands published.
• 00-12-1914 Second edition of the two-piano arrangement published.
• 00-12-1914 Fourth edition of Urlicht published.
• 00-00-1930 Movement 4: “Urlicht”. Sehr feierlich, aber schlicht recorded with Sarah Charles Cahier (1870-1951)
• 00-00-1952 Third edition by Universal Edition (UE) music publishers.
• 00-00-1970 Fourth critical edition by Universal Edition (UE) music publishers.
• 00-00-1986 The Kaplan Foundation published an extensive facsimile edition with additional materials.
• 00-00-1989 Publication of an arrangement by Bruno Walter for piano four-hands.
• 00-00-2005 Fifth critical edition by Universal Edition (UE) music publishers and Gilbert Kaplan (1941-2016). As part of the new complete critical edition of Mahler’s symphonies being undertaken by the Gustav Mahler Society, a new critical edition was produced as a joint venture between Universal Edition (UE) music publishers and Gilbert Kaplan (1941-2016) Foundation. Its world premiere performance was given on 18-10-2005 at the Royal Albert Hall in London with Gilbert Kaplan conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
• 00-00-0000 Reproductions of earlier editions have been released by Dover and by Boosey & Hawkes.

Duration:

• Movement 1: Allegro maestoso: Mit durchaus ernstem und feierlichem Ausdruck 23.00
• Movement 2: Andante moderato. Sehr gemächlich 11.00
• Movement 3: In ruhig fliessender Bewegung 11.00
• Movement 4: “Urlicht”. Sehr feierlich, aber schlicht 6.00
• Movement 5: “Aufersteh’n”. Im Tempo des Scherzos. Wild herausfahrend 35.00
• Total duration: 1.26.00

Manuscript

• Manuscript Symphony No. 2.

Relevant

• Recollections Natalie Bauer-Lechner (1858-1921) about Marion von Weber-Schwabe (1856-1931).