Symphony No. 2

Nicholas Kok’s newly-created vocal score of the 4th and 5th movements of Mahler’s 2nd Symphony is aimed particularly at vocal soloists and choral singers who wish to practice the two vocal movements in this work; it is available on sale, as is the choral score.

To ensure a secure entry at the attacca beginning of the 4th movement, the vocal score begins earlier in the 3rd movement. The rehearsal letters in the prevalently used orchestral materials have been taken into consideration so that the vocal score and choral score are compatible with all the available music editions.

In his 2nd Symphony, premiered in 1895 after a seven-year gestation period, Gustav Mahler combined different work concepts which he had previously tried out in various independent compositions: the 1st movement with the original title "Todtenfeier" was conceived as a symphonic poem, the 3rd movement is based on the original song for voice and piano "St Anthony of Padua’s Sermon to the Fishes", the 4th movement is the orchestral song "Urlicht" for alto, with text, like the 3rd movement, from "Des Knaben Wunderhorn", and the 5th is a setting and elaboration of the Klopstock Ode "Die Auferstehung" for soprano and alto solo with mixed chorus.

Mahler created a work in the vocal-symphonic tradition founded by Beethoven and, despite its challenges in extent and scoring, it remains one of his most popular compositions.