Symphony No.3 - László Lajtha

Описание: Pécs Symphony Orchestra conducted by Nicolás Pasquet.

I - Lento, quasi rubato: 0:00
II - Allegro molto e agitato: 12:22

Lajtha's Symphony No.3 was composed in 1948. It was premiered in London in March 1949, performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Adrian Boult. In Hungary, it was first performed under the baton of János Ferencsik. Between 1947-48, László Lajtha spent a year in London with his family. He had been invited by the Austrian film director Georg Hoellering to compose music for the film version of T. S. Eliot’s verse play "Murder in the Cathedral", the story of the martyrdom of Thomas Becket.

Symphony No.3 derives from this film music. Other compositions derived from film music include "Temptations", "Eleven Variations for Orchestra", and the "Harp Quintet No.2". The film won two prizes at the Venice Film Festival in 1951, including the Grand Prix. In spite of that, it never won the appreciation of either the public or the critics. It was found dull and protracted and was rarely shown. Yet even the most severe critics acknowledged the value of Lajtha’s music.

The first movement is structured in ternary form. It begins with an extensive solo of the clarinet, presenting a melancholic main theme. The rest of the ochestra gradually join in as the music grows more passionate and expressive. Sudden percussive blows leads us to the middle section, in which a more turbulent and obcure variation of the theme is presented. An oboe solo offers a lyrical contrast against the haunting strings. A solemn fugato follows, leading us to an dissonant and expressive climax. The main theme is then recapitulated, leading us to a meditative coda.

The second movement is structured as a rondo (A-B-C-B'-A'-Coda). It opens with an energic and vigorous main theme presented by the brass, growing in an imposing and dissonant climax. After a pause, a lyrical second theme is presented through solos of the woodwinds, over tense tremolos of the strings. This is contrasted by sudden orchestral outbursts. A violent military theme appears over the blows of the snare drum, followed by the recapitulation of the second theme. The main theme is forcefully recapitulated, leading us to a dramatic coda.

Picture: "Resurrection of Lazarus" (1912) by the Hungarian painter János Vaszary.

Musical analysis mostly written by myself. Source: https://bit.ly/3l4hOKm