Symphony No.7 "Revolutionary" or "Autumn" - László Lajtha

Pécs Symphony Orchestra conducted by Nicolás Pasquet. I - Modéré - Agité: 0:00 II - Lent: 11:08 III - Agité: 24:48 Lajtha's Symphony No.7 was composed in 1957, being premiered in April 26 of 1958 in Paris, performed by the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by György Lehel. The following year it was performed successfully in Hungary and several western capitals. The work was originally going to be subtitled "Revolution", but it was politically unnaceptable at the time, so he changed it for the more subtle "Autumn", but this was also scrapped in the last moment. The work is a reflection on the Hungarian revolution of 1956, a widespread protest against the presence of the soviet army in the country and the massive influence of the Soviet Union in the ruling Hungarian communist party, to the point of being essentially a puppet of the former. As soon as democratic reforms began to appear, the soviet army invaded Hungary and stopped the revolution. Lajtha, who had previously run afoul with the Hungarian communist party for his more advanced and modernist style of music (as heard in his Symphony No.5) supported this revolution. The first movement is loosely structured in sonata form. It opens with an intensely chromatic and dissonant main theme, bitter and agitated in character. The saxophone presents a deeply lyrical second theme, offering great contrast. The materials then are recapitulated against each other, showing their dialectic nature. An extensive meditative passage follows, enigmatic and colourful despite the somber nature of the music. A sudden anticlimax is reached with the main theme, followed by a dramatic development that culminates with another climax. A sudden, violent coda ends the movement. The second movement is divided in three sections. The first begins with an opressive atmosphere in which English horn and oboe presents a tense motive, fleshed out into a melancholic main theme by the saxophone. The strings take it passionatelly over the bleak atmosphere, supported by an extensive percussion ensemble. Woodwinds share phrases between themselves. The second section opens with a lyrical and calid second theme on the clarinet, passed to the flute and saxophone. However, percussive ostinatos leads us to a sudden, intensely dramatic climax. The music then alternates between calm passages and sudden outbursts that lead nowhere. The third section begins with a dark march with an oboe solo, followed by the horn. The violin then appears with a tender solo interrupted by violent brass outbursts. The orchestra is then left ruminating before a low-key coda ends the movement The third movement is structured in sonata form. It opens with a three-note motive which references the French revolutionary song "La Masellaise", which became the French national anthem after the French revolution. An energic and vigorous main theme is presented, contrasted by a solemn second one in form of a sober chorale. Follows a development in which these materials are put against each other as in the first movement, culminating in a dissonant and menacing march. Suddenly, an optimistic quote from the national Hungarian anthem appears, supported by the bells chimes. A solemn coda ends the whole work. Picture: Colourized photograph of a crowd surrounding a captured Russian T-34/85 tank during the Hungarian revolution. Musical analysis partially written by myself. Source: https://bit.ly/3NQMjja