“Manfred”, Symphony in B minor after Byron, Op. 58

For symphony orchestra.

Composition date: 1885.

Movements:
1. Lento lugubre (B minor) Manfred wanders in the Alps. Wearied by the fatal questions of existence, tormented by hopeless longings and...Read more

For symphony orchestra.

Composition date: 1885.

Movements:
1. Lento lugubre (B minor) Manfred wanders in the Alps. Wearied by the fatal questions of existence, tormented by hopeless longings and the memory of past crimes, he suffers terrible spiritual yearnings. He has delved into the occult sciences and commands the mighty powers of darkness, but neither they nor anything in this world can give him the forgetfulness to which alone he vainly aspires. The memory of the lost Astarte, once passionately loved by him, gnaws at his heart, and there is neither limit nor end to Manfred's despair
2. Vivace con spirito (B minor) The Alpine Fairy appears to Manfred beneath the rainbow of a waterfall
3. Andante con moto (G major) Pastorale . A picture of the simple, free and peaceful life of the mountain folk
4. Allegro con fuoco (B minor–B major) The subterranean palace of Arimanes. An infernal orgy. Appearance of Manfred in the midst of a bacchanal. Evocation and appearance of the spirit of Astarte, who pardons him. Death of Manfred

A programme symphony after Byron’s dramatic poem, written in 1885 at Mily Balakirev’s suggestion and dedicated to him. Its four tableaux depict Manfred in the Alps, the Alpine fairy, pastoral life, and the subterranean halls of Ahriman. It is an independent symphony, not a suite of incidental music.

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