# the great #2s



## science (Oct 14, 2010)

Thought of this tonight as by coincidence I listened to Saint-Saens' Piano Trio #2 and then Rachmaninov's Symphony #2, and it put me to wondering, what are the great #2s? 

Rule: The #2 need not be the best of the set, but it needs to be among the best. For instance, you would only suggest Mahler's symphony #2 if you feel it is one of his best symphonies. 

Albinoni: Concerto op. 9.2 - maybe I'm bending the rules here 
Bach: Violin Partita #2
Bartok: Violin Concerto #2
Bernstein: Symphony #2
Borodin: String Quartet #2
Borodin: Symphony #2
Brahms: Piano Concerto #2
Brahms: String Sextet #2
Chopin: Piano Sonata #2
Dvorak: Piano Quintet #2
Ives: Piano Sonata #2 "Concord"
Medtner: Piano Concerto #2
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto #2
Prokofiev: Violin Concerto #2
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto #2
Rachmaninov: Piano Sonata #2
Rachmaninov: Piano Trio Elegiaque #2
Rachmaninov: Symphony #2
Saint-Saens: Piano Concerto #2
Saint-Saens: Piano Trio #2
Shostakovich: Piano Trio #2
Sibelius: Symphony #2


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Yep - Mahler 2 is one of his best IMO.

Also:

Schnittke - Cello Concerto no. 2
Shostakovich - both Violin and Cello Concerto no. 2
Penderecki - Violin Concerto no. 2
Mendelssohn - String Quintet no. 2
Schubert - Piano Trio no. 2
Brahms - Clarinet/Viola Sonata no. 2
R. Strauss - Horn Concerto no. 2
Stravinsky - Symphonies of Wind Instruments (not designated a number, but the original version was chronologically the second of his four)

And a little rule-bending of my own:

Schnittke - Concerto for Piano & Strings (1979), which is sometimes called his 2nd and sometimes his 3rd, as some designate the Music for Piano & Chamber Orchestra (1964) as the 'no. 2'. As it's such a fine work I'm happy for the Concerto for Piano & Strings to be called his 2nd today! Schnittke himself never appeared to clarify the question. 

Could this thread apply to 2nd operas, masses etc?

EDIT: Oops, just remembered that Stravinsky wrote five but the one I named was still the '2nd'.

Thanks, Science - I'll add to this list in due course, then.


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

elgars ghost said:


> Could this thread apply to 2nd operas, masses etc?


Why not, man? Do your thing!

Good stuff in your post.


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

*Borodin*- _Polovetsian Dance no. 2_- (from "Prince Igor").

Probably the most famous melody he ever wrote.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Just goes to show, if you first don't succeed, try again!


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## Oskaar (Mar 17, 2011)

Barber: Symphony No. 2
Bloch: Concerto grosso No.2
Brahms : String Quartet No.2
Dvorák: B.56 op26 Piano Trio No.2 
Enescu: Violin Sonata No.2 in F-, Op.6
Franck: Piano Concerto No.2 in B-, Op.11
Glazunov: Op. 16: Symphony No. 2 in F-sharp minor "To the Memory of Liszt"
Janácek: String Quartet No. 2 “Intimate Letters” JW 7/13
Mahler : Symphony No.2 in C- ('Resurrection')
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No.2 in G-, Op.16
Schubert: Piano Trio No.2 in Eb, D.929, Op.100
Schumann: 3 String Quartets, Op.41 no 2 in f major
Schumann: Piano Trio No.2 in F, Op.80
Schumann: Symphony No.2 in C, Op.61
Schumann: Violin Sonata No.2 in D-, Op.121
Shostakovich: Op. 102: Piano Concerto No. 2 in F major
Shostakovich: Op. 129: Violin Concerto No. 2 in C-sharp minor

This is what I have discovered, and given 6 out of six (for the work)


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## jalex (Aug 21, 2011)

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto #2
Bruckner: Mass #2
Janacek: String Quartet #2
Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody #2
Smetana: String Quartet #2
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto #2
Prokofiev: Symphony #2


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Brahms - Symphony 2
Vaughan Williams - Symphony 2


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Dutilleux-Symphony No.2
Per Norgard-Violin Concerto No.2
Charles Ives-Symphony No.2
Schnittke-Concerto Grosso No.2
Schnittke-Concerto For Piano and Strings
Bartok-Violin Concerto No.2
Hans Werner Henze-Violin Concerto No.2


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## Oskaar (Mar 17, 2011)

And when it comes to five stars ( I may be repeating the same work...from 6 stars)
Antheil: Violin Sonata No.2
Arnold: Clarinet Concerto No.2, Op.115
Barber: Essay No.2 for Orchestra, Op.17
Bartok: Piano Concerto No.2 in G, BB101, Sz.95
Berwald: Piano Quintet No.2 in A
Bloch: Concerto grosso No.2, for string quartet and string orchestra
Brahms : String Quartet No.2 in A-, Op.51, No.2
Britten: String Quartet No.2 in C, Op.36
Dvorák: B.56 op26 Piano Trio No.2 
Enescu: Violin Sonata No.2 in F-, Op.6
Glazunov: Op. 11: Serenade No. 2 in F major for small orchestra
Glazunov: Op. 16: Symphony No. 2 in F-sharp minor "To the Memory of Liszt"
Goldmark: Symphony No. 2 in E flat, Op. 35
Janácek: String Quartet No. 2 “Intimate Letters” JW 7/13
Liszt: Piano Concerto No.2 in A, S.125
mozart: Symphony No.2 in Bb, K.17 (spurious)
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No.2 in G-, Op.16
Prokofiev: Symphony No.2 in D-, Op.40
Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No.2 in G-, Op.63
Schubert: Piano Trio No.2 in Eb, D.929, Op.100
Schubert: Symphony No.2 in Bb, D.125
Schubert: Violin Sonata (Sonatina) in A-, D.385, Op. posth.137, No.2
Schumann: 3 String Quartets, Op.41 no 2 in f major
Schumann: Piano Trio No.2 in F, Op.80
Schumann: Symphony No.2 in C, Op.61
Schumann: Violin Sonata No.2 in D-, Op.121
Shostakovich: Op. 102: Piano Concerto No. 2 in F major
Shostakovich: Op. 126: Cello Concerto No. 2 in G major
Shostakovich: Op. 129: Violin Concerto No. 2 in C-sharp minor
Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43
Spohr: Clarinet Concerto No.2 in Eb, Op.57
Spohr: Symphony No.2 in D-, Op.49
Stanford: Op 039 Sonata No. 2 in D minor for violoncello & piano
Stanford: Op 133 Piano quartet No. 2


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

Are Dvorak's Cello Concerto and Piano Quintet 'officially' #2s?


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## Klavierspieler (Jul 16, 2011)

Polednice said:


> Are Dvorak's Cello Concerto and Piano Quintet 'officially' #2s?


Who cares; let's put 'em down anyway.


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## Oskaar (Mar 17, 2011)

I am just cutting from my diary, and they where orginaly Cut from some websight... Classicalarchieves or wikipedia


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## Oskaar (Mar 17, 2011)

About Dvoraks cello concerto.... Yes... no 2. But no one is maby not often played...


Unlike its brother, the B minor Concerto, Op.104, the A major Concerto has been more than overlooked. Written for cellist Ludevít Peer, it was discovered by composer Günter Raphael years later. Raphael orchestrated and heavily edited the work in the late 1920s, making it more his own than Dvořák's. The Concerto was left un-orchestrated by Dvořák, existing only in piano-score form. Over an hour long, the Concerto's outer movements are each around 25 minutes long, with a short (c. 8 minutes) slow movement.

The 1970s brought another editor of the Concerto, a Dvořák expert Jarmil Burghauser. He, along with the great cellist Miloš Sádlo, prepared another version of the Concerto. This time the editing was light. The new edition was published in two versions: In an original piano-score form (with appropriate cuts that correspond to the orchestrated version), and an orchestrated version by Burghauser, who took the liberty of cutting the extensive opening and final movements.

Today, one can get a taste of all three versions, since there are two Supraphon recording available (Original and Burghauser), as well as Steven Isserlis' frequent touring with the Raphael version. (Wikipedia)


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## Oskaar (Mar 17, 2011)

And about the piano quintett...
The work was actually composed as the result of the composer's attempt to revise an earlier work, Piano Quintet in A major, Op. 5.[1] Dvořák was dissatisfied with the Op. 5 quintet and destroyed the manuscript not long after its premiere. Fifteen years later, he reconsidered and retrieved a copy of the score from a friend and started making revisions. However, he decided that rather than submitting the revised work for publication, he would compose an entirely new work. The new quintet is a mixture of Dvorak's personal form of expressive lyricism as well as a utilization of elements from Czech folk music. Characteristically those elements include styles and forms of song and dance, but not actual folk tunes; Dvorak created original melodies in the authentic folk style. (wikipedia)


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## DavidMahler (Dec 28, 2009)

The only Mahler symphonies which are not one of his best is 8 and 1 and even then its better than most other symphonies.

Mahler 2 is the greatest 2. It can't not be on a legitimate list of best 2's

Other notable 2's

Sibelius 2
Brahms 2 symphony
Rach 2 symphony & concerto


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## Oskaar (Mar 17, 2011)

i will search for some others....


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## jalex (Aug 21, 2011)

Britten: Cello Suite #2


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## Oskaar (Mar 17, 2011)

Poulenc... This pig have som agression in his eyes....


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

*K.A. Hartmann *-_ Piano Sonata "27 April 1945"_ (this was the 2nd sonata he wrote, but not always numbered, but definitely one of his finest works).

*Boulez* - _Piano Sonata #2_ - a modern classic, called by some to be the "new" _Hammerklavier_.

*Dohnanyi *- _Violin Concerto #2_ - Both his concertos are good, but this one has a more modern flavour than the first.

*Lutoslawski* - _Symphony #2 _- Here, he was pioneering the two-movement form which became a kind of trademark for him.

*Philip Glass* - _String Quartet #2 "Company" _- One of his best known works, originally music for the Beckett play of the title.

*Elena Kats-Chernin *- _PIano Concerto #2 _- Interesting work, a favourite, a mix of everything from minimalism to cabaret, to Chopin, some great melodies and lyrical vibes here...


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## Llyranor (Dec 20, 2010)

Take any Bach instrumental work, stick a 2 on it, and it'll probably make the list.

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto 2
Bach: Cello Suite 2
Bach: Keyboard Concerto 2
Bach: Orchestral Suite 2
Bach: Sonata for Solo Violin 2
Bach: Violin Concerto 2
Bach: Violin Partita 2
Bach: Violin Sonata 2

Barber: Essay for Orchestra 2
Philip Glass: Violin Concerto 2
Mahler: Symphony 2
Prokofiev: Violin Concerto 2
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto 2
Rachmaninoff: Symphony 2
Saint-Saens: Piano Concerto 2
Saint-Saens: Violin Concerto 2
Sibelius: Symphony 2
Szymanowski: Violin Concerto 2

Does Mendelsohnn's famous Violin Concerto count? He wrote one for violin and string orchestra in D minor in his teens (which is great too!)


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Llyranor said:


> ...
> Does Mendelsohnn's famous Violin Concerto count? He wrote one for violin and string orchestra in D minor in his teens (which is great too!)


I think it does, as on recent recordings, it's called "#2." Eg. the track listing of THIS Aussie recording of it...


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Sid James said:


> *Lutoslawski* - _Symphony #2 _- Here, he was pioneering the two-movement form which became a kind of trademark for him.


The second movement of this symphony is one of my favorites in modern music. It's a killer!


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

Matthijs Vermeulen - Symphony 2
Ernest Bloch - String quartet 2


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## Kalervonpoika (Jan 9, 2012)

Rachmaninov: Symphony 2
Schumann: Symphony 2
Mahler: Symphony 2
Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto 2
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto 2
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto 2 
Borodin: Symphony 2
Sibelius: Symphony 2

I can't remember anything more.


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

Beethoven - Piano Concerto no.2 in b-flat, op.18
Chopin - Etude no.2, op.10; no.2, op.25
Prokofiev - Symphony no.2 in d-minor, op.40
Bach - Toccata no.2 in c-minor, bwv911
Hummel - Piano Concerto no.2 in a-minor, op.85
Chopin - Scherzo no.2 in b-flat minor, op.31


Just a couple off the top of the ol' cabeza...


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

You have failed to mention Alice Mary Smith's wonderful second symphony in A minor


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