Johan de Meij's Second Symphony is an ode to New York: not strictly programmatic music but rather a musical interpretation of the spirit, glamour and indifference of one of the most fascinating cities in the world. The first movement, (Skyline) depicts the massive facade, the 'global' contours of New York; in the second movement (Gotham) the brutal, chaotic aspects of the metropolis are introduced. Listening to this symphony is perhaps as enervating as an actual visit to Manhattan.