Etienne-Nicolas Mehul (1763-1817), whose artistic career coincided with the French Revolution, earned the admiration of both Beethoven and Napoleon. As a composer of more than forty operas, he also wrote five innovative symphonies filled with lyricism and drama. SYMPHONY No. 2 in D Major, completed in 1809 and first performed on March 26th, invites comparison to the early symphonies of Franz Schubert. A breezy optimism flows from the first page to the last, rounded off by a zestful timpani part in the finale which Beethoven might have smiled at. This edition by Clinton B. Fairlamb is part of the Nieweg Performance Edition series. Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2: 2.0.0.0: Timp: Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set).