Typically self-critical and self-effacing, Sergey Taneyev (1856 - 1915) had written a fairly significant amount of music before he allowed any of it to be performed. The Second Symphony fell victim to his reticence; the composer did not seek publication or performance of the work in his lifetime. He began work on the symphony in 1877, after returning from a long stay in Paris. He completed it the following year, having taken a post in composition at the Moscow Conservatory of Music that briefly interrupted its gestation. Taneyev replaced his teacher Tchaikovsky, who was one of the few people aware of the present work's existence.

The Symphony No. 2 is cast in three movements, though the composer apparently intended another. The Adagio opening is gloomy and somber, its stately theme proud in its darkness. The main Allegro section is cheerful and celebratory, with more than a few echoes of Tchaikovsky. Taneyev's contrapuntal skills are in evidence throughout much of this large movement, as is his masterful grasp of structure.

The Andante middle movement has little about its sound that is Russian—instead, there is something almost Franckian in its mood and orchestration. Taneyev was perhaps the least nationalistically oriented of the major Russian composers; and his study of the European classics, running all the way back to the Renaissance, was unusually deep and lent his work its strong dose of counterpoint. The main theme is lovely but somber, with much tension developing from it. This movement shows the composer's expressive depth, both in its masterful instrumentation and subtle thematic workings. The Allegro finale is festive and light, but even here Taneyev is always seizes whatever opportunity he can to wring the most from his colorful melodic material. This is the shortest movement in this half-hour-plus symphony, but its joy and brilliance make it a worthy closing panel to a quite underrated work.

© Robert Cummings, All Music Guide