Beethoven's Symphony Composition

Expectations of a Symphony

• Traditionally, symphonies are expected to be:
  • Large in scale
  • Long in duration
  • Composed of multiple elements and movements
• Beethoven emerged from the classical tradition of composers like Mozart and Haydn.

Beethoven's Background

• Born in Bonn, Germany.
• Moved to Vienna, regarded as the music capital of Europe.
• Played for and impressed Mozart.
• Studied with Joseph Haydn, Albrechtsberger, and Salieri.

Beethoven's Early Symphonies

• Wrote most of his symphonies in the first decade of the 1800s.
• His first symphony was in the classical tradition of Haydn and Mozart.

The Third Symphony - Eroica

• Notable for its length, around 50 minutes, longer than typical symphonies of the time.
• Introduced new elements like a third horn.
• Expanded the symphonic language beyond Mozart and Haydn.

The Fifth Symphony

Revolutionary Aspects

• Known for developing a small musical motive throughout the movement, unusual for its time.
• The motive is subtly embedded throughout the symphony.
• Begins with an immediate introduction of the motive—energetic, without an introduction.

Structure and Development

• Exposition:
  • Introduces the main theme with the motive.
  • Develops the motive slightly before introducing the second theme using horns.
  • The rhythm from the opening can be subtly heard in the bass.
• Development Section:
  • Material from both themes is explored and expanded.
  • Beethoven's skill in development is highlighted through creative improvisation.
  • Builds excitement by extending and reducing the motive rhythmically.
  • Engages in a musical conversation between the woodwinds and the strings.
• Recapitulation:
  • Revisits the exposition with slight harmonic variations.
  • Features a unique solo oboe cadenza—a pause in the symphony's flow.
  • Traditional elements with different instrumentation (e.g., bassoon instead of horns).

Coda

• Beethoven extends the coda to be longer than any other section.
• Typically, a coda is brief, but Beethoven defies this norm, emphasizing its significance.

Conclusion

• Beethoven's symphonies, especially the Fifth, display innovative use of motive and form.
• His works expanded the expectations and structure of classical symphony composition.