Symphony No. 3
2nd movement: 'Inner Interplay'

By Erling Kullberg



In the second movement, the 'DNA-structure' of the symphony itself - the infinity series - seldom appears in its pure form. Central to the music is the work done on different wavelengths and melodic wavelengths - the composer embroidering away with the countless threads of 'the cosmic tapestry'.
'Wavelength 15'
Whereas the 1st movement ended with the overtone harmonies shooting off into the realm of the inaudible, the 2nd movement begins with an undertone harmony throw down from the higher regions, like the Aurora Borealis - which makes this part of the movement decidedly minor in character.

In the first, long section the composer works on various manifestations, or  crystallisations, of wavelength 15, one of his preferred structures. The result of this is the following little melody on the woodwind:




... or this passage, which evokes reminiscences of 'the romantic piano concerto':


'Passacaglia'
The next, and very long, section is designed as a passacaglia over six-bar periods with the same structure (WL 15 again), though with different arrangements of the modules. This movement reminds one of a hymn, with a 'pure' style that is almost like a chorale. Very simple at the outset, but becoming increasingly complicated as more and more layers are added.



Gradually, the choir comes to fill the centre of attention and becomes thematically active. At first the music is pure voice without a text, but later crystallises into the old Marian favourites Ave maris stella and Ave Maria.


'Hierarchical music'

The Passacaglia ends with a section where a large number of the layers that have already been presented are present at the same time - both as fundamental structures and as thematic gestalts. The infinity series itself, which holds the whole piece together in harmonic order, also appears in this culminating section.


Singe die Gärten

The whole symphony is rounded off with the choral work Singe die Gärten - an independent composition to a sonnet by Rainer Maria Rilke. This text underlines to perfection what in fact is the essence of this symphony (and indeed, of hierarchical music in general), namely, that all actual gestalts (themes, etc.) - and in the widest sense all things - are but individual threads in the cosmic weave.

     

    Rilke's Sonnet:


    Singe die Gärten, mein Herz, die du nicht kennst; wie im Glas
    eingegossene Gärten, klar, unerreichbar.
    Wasser und Rosen von Isphahan oder Schiras,
    singe sie selig, preise sie, keinem vergleichbar.

    Zeige, mein Herz, dass du sie niemals entbehrst.
    Dass sie dich meinen, ihre reifenden Feigen.
    Dass du mit ihren, zwischen den blühenden Zweigen
    wie Gesicht gesteigerten Lüften verkehrst.

    Meide den Irrtum, dass es entbehrungen gebe
    für den geschehenen Entschluss, diesen: zu sein!
    Seidener Faden, kamst du hinein ins gewebe.

    Welchem der Bilder du auch im Innern geeint bist
    (sei es selbst ein Moment aus dem Leben der Pein),
    fühl, dass der ganze, der rühmliche Teppich gemeint ist.

The whole of the Singe die Gärten section resembles a hymn of praise('Sing, my Soul, of the gardens thou knowest not ...') - a eulogy to the human soul's search for the key to the harmony and coherence of 'all things'. The whole work is held together by the DNA of hierarchical music - the infinity series. There is even room for a quotation from Schubert's Lied Du bist die Ruh in this extraordinarily beautiful finale.

Not surprisingly, after the last set of double lines the composer wrote the familiar phrase: Soli Deo Gloria (All honour to God alone).


Score sample © Edition WH