#W.H. AUDEN AGE OF ANXIETY SERIES#

Bernstein makes a profound statement in his second symphony about the state of the postwar world, and confronts the uncertainty facing many. Overall, I think the symphony can be considered one of the greatest of the 20th century. Its melodic content casual, its harmony stiff, its contrapuntal tension weak.РІР‚Сњ Robert Ward, another critic stated that РІР‚Сљthe total significance (of the symphony) impresses very littleРІР‚Сњ (4). Because the symphony seems literally dependent on the events of the poem, critics found it to lack cohesion.Р”В¬ritical reviewer, Virgil Thomson, after praising the workРІР‚в„ўs РІР‚СљlivelyРІР‚Сњ rhythms and РІР‚Сљpicturesque, expressiveРІР‚Сњ textures, came down hard upon its technical construction: РІР‚Сљthe work does not hold inevitably the musical attention. РІР‚СљThe Age of AnxietyРІР‚Сњ includes specific details that Bernstein claimed had РІР‚Сљwritten themselvesРІР‚Сњ in РІР‚СљThe Masque,РІР‚Сњ for example, the celesta clearly sounds the hour of 4 AM as in the Auden poem. BernsteinРІР‚в„ўs answer to РІР‚СљThe DirgeРІР‚Сњ comes in the form of the upbeat РІР‚СљMasque.РІР‚Сњ He takes the 12-tone row and transforms it into hip, grooving, bebop jazz (1). When in doubt, Bernstein always opted for a party. However, this grave moment does not last for long. The second half of the piece opens with РІР‚СљThe Dirge,РІР‚Сњ a 12-tone theme, first introduced by the solo piano. РІР‚СљThe Seven StagesРІР‚Сњ are constantly in transit and seem to lack a central narrative. When the work proceeds into РІР‚СљThe Seven Stages,РІР‚Сњ stylistic changes abound.

The piano, which acts as the voice of the four main characters is introduced in an unaccompanied solo at the beginning of the section entitled РІР‚СљThe Seven Ages.РІР‚Сњ As more instruments are introduced in conjunction with the piano, the tone becomes more dissonant and at times frantic РІР‚вЂњ reflecting the РІР‚СљanxietyРІР‚Сњ felt by the protagonists. A twelve-tone row, played by a single flute, serves as the audienceРІР‚в„ўs introduction into the surreal.

#W.H. AUDEN AGE OF ANXIETY SERIES#

In the next section of the symphony, Bernstein incorporates serialism РІР‚вЂњ a compositional technique in which a fixed series of notes, especially the twelve notes of the chromatic scale, are used to generate the harmonic and melodic motifs. The pure sounds of the two clarinets overlap one another while moving between consonance and dissonance. The symphony begins with a solemn clarinet duet. Still, BernsteinРІР‚в„ўs unique style of composition can be heard clearly. Instead of a typical four-movement, work, Bernstein wrote his symphony for solo piano and orchestra, dividing the piece into six sections РІР‚вЂњ mirroring AudenРІР‚в„ўs text. The London Symphony Orchestra is playing under BernsteinРІР‚в„ўs direction.Р”В«ernsteinРІР‚в„ўs second symphony is quite different from most symphonies. In a New York Times Op-ed by Daniel Smith, the poem is described as being РІР‚Сљa difficult work - allusive, allegorical, at times surrealРІР‚Сњ (3).Р”В«elow is a recording of BernsteinРІР‚в„ўs second symphony. The poem itself is described as a Baroque Eclogue, an ornate tribute to the bucolic, and is written in alliterative verse.Р’В The material is definitely unwieldy and has been called nebulous by some. Each one of the four protagonists represent one of Carl JungРІР‚в„ўs archetypes РІР‚вЂњР’В Thought, Feeling, Sensation and Intuition (2). Auden was able to draw upon modern science to enhance his work as well. Into The Age of Anxiety, Auden incorporated elements of popular culture, current events, and common vernacular. Created soon after WWII in the age of McCarthyism, AudenРІР‚в„ўs poem grapples with themes of human isolation and faith. With this in mind, I set out to answer the following question РІР‚вЂњ does BernsteinРІР‚в„ўs РІР‚СљThe Age of AnxietyРІР‚Сњ deserve to be called one of the great symphonies of the 20th century?Р”В«ernsteinРІР‚в„ўs second symphony, was heavily inspired by W.H. Some critics have lambasted the improvisatory nature of the work, while others ardently praise its incorporation of jazz elements. AudenРІР‚в„ўs written work, and despite being based upon a narrative, BernsteinРІР‚в„ўs symphony seems to be lack one. Critics debate endlessly concerning the symphonyРІР‚в„ўs connection to W.H. Although none of BernsteinРІР‚в„ўs symphonies could be considered at all orthodox, his second in particular seems to be a work in contradictions. Out of BernsteinРІР‚в„ўs three symphonic works, his second symphony, entitled РІР‚СљThe Age of Anxiety,РІР‚Сњ is most perplexing to me. I have a deep suspicion that every work I write, for whatever medium, is really theater music in some way' (1) - Leonard Bernstein 'If the charge of 'theatricality' in a symphonic work is a valid one, I am willing to plead guilty.

W.h. auden age of anxiety