Beethoven completed the Symphony Eroica in 1804 and it was first performed the year after. It is known for being a mature stepping-stone on the style of which music was written in the late eighteenth century that also showcases defining concepts in the romanticism of the next century. I have chosen these two movements because of me being a string player and being in an orchestra, my overall interest in symphonies also directed me to pick Beethoven and Haydn because they are both unique in the style that they compose.
Beethoven lived through a turbulent period of European history including the French revolution. Beethoven relied on commissions from wealthy men to earn his livelihood, Beethoven had an unhappy personal life and suffered from depression. It was during the low point in his life that he composed Eroica. Beethoven admired Napoleon who was the Emperor of the French at the time of writing. He was employed by the Lobkowicz family to write the piece and originally dedicated it to Napoleon. Beethoven was a revolutionary composer, e pushed the boundaries of timbre and dynamics and made use of harmonic dissonances.
The piece begins with two Eb forte chords followed by a string pedal which starts the symphony off with immense power. It then features a crescendo in the strings into broken chords in the Violin 2. This is all built up with this and then Sfs then diminuendos into a P because of this being the start of the symphony this sets the scene of the first movement. This is also big evidence to the theory of this whole symphony being back to front, people believe that some if not all of Beethoven’s symphonies were written then inverted to be back to front which does seem accurate as it is starting off with two big chords which does mostly indicate the end of a piece. Due to this being the start of the piece this is the exposition. The exposition begins with the lower part of the orchestra playing the first theme. The melody that at the start was with the cellos for 8 bars. For the next 15-20 bars the theme is carried over different sections of the orchestra but is now finished off by the 1st Violins.
This few lines in the flute is almost repeated in a way but done in a sequence with a gradual crescendo. The flute part also with the dynamic contrast it has also helps have an atmosphere to have almost an eerie feel with the sustained inverted pedal.
The modulation to the dominant key of B flat happens early in bars 42 – 44 with a decending scale played by the full orchestra. This modulation subsequently brings in the second theme at bar 83. After the second theme is introduced it builds up to a forte melody at bar 109. The listener is hit with an unexpected climatic moment in bar 128-131 when there are six simultaneous sf chords which is then followed by the same melody which carries it on to the development section.
Here he also exercises the use of chords in the orchestra with the woodwind section playing a chordal excerpt which has said to be similar to a Vivaldi Concerto done years before. The development section which also coincides with the rest of the movement, is characterised by its unique style of syncopation and rhythms with its use of dissonant chords and long melodies. There is a 32-bar theme from bar 248-279 of sf chords. Some critics have said that this "outburst of rage… forms the kernel of the whole movement" which is accurate because it's such a heavy movement with his use of sf and sudden fff chords and melodies.
Rather than going to the recapitulation after the chords, there is a new theme in E minor is then brought in at bar 284. Over the new melody which is in the woodwind section is a very complicated but angelic Violin 1 part which is accompanied by the violin 2 part playing the lower sections in the 2nd and 4th bars. In bar 300 the original theme returns in C major, with an accompaniment in the brass. This continues to progress until it reaches the tonic minor key of E flat
minor. Then the first theme returns again with overlapping triads chromatically rising until reaching the unusual key of C flat major in bar 363. The piece then ends off with the recapitulation which is in Eb minor. There is also a coda section which features the same theme as in the development section but is in the same key as the recapitulation until bar 551 then it goes into D flat and then C major going into bar 567. A countermelody springs up in the first violins, sprightly against a slow-rolling iteration of the first theme. At the end of the coda and the movement it ends with the same abrupt tutti E flat chords with which it began.
Advanced Higher Music Piece 2 Frazer Grant
Piece 2: Symphony No.88-Haydn (1787)
Symphony No.88 in G major composed by Joseph Haydn was known as one of the "Paris Symphonies" but some people do not believe this as there is no account of this being titled it unlike Symphony No.82 onwards. It was probably composed in 1787 and if it is one of the "Paris/London Symphonies" then it was one of the most popular of them.
The first movement begins with an Adagio in G major intro in 3/4. After the intro the mood changes immediately with the time changing to 2/4 and the tempo is now allegro but still in G major. The main theme enters suddenly but played softly by the strings, then full orchestra with the dynamic forte with a new motif introduced in the lower bass sections. This motif is developed further along with the main theme. The rhythm of the main theme is distinctive every time it comes around again which provides the opportunity for extensive development. There are two more themes, but they are variants of the main theme. The movement ends with a coda based on the main theme again.
Here we see the opening theme with the whole orchestra playing then the string section take up the first melody. The rhythm here is very short and homophonic, then flowing on to the first violins playing a unique melody in bar 5, which we see throughout the symphony but in different parts of the orchestra. it then goes back to the short double stops which is played in the dominant chord which flows towards the main theme of the movement.
Here we see the Violin 1 bring off the first melody into a repeat of the rhythm of the start. The rhythm here is a variation of the start of the piece, with the first
violin taking the melody with dotted quavers then going up with chromatic slurred triplets into a repeat of the start melody.
Now after the first theme we come to a section that features the flute playing an inverted pedal with Forte-Piano markings. This leads on to the 2/4 section which is marked "Allegro". With the repeat of the start it then goes to a long-inverted pedal in the flutes with the oboe playing quiet quavers on the last beat with a crotchet on the first beat of the next bar. While that is happening the first violin takes the melody with a downward sequence going from A-F#-D going into the last page of the movement.
Here we see the 2/4 Allegro appear but beforehand there is a suspenseful pedal happening in the orchestra with Violins and Viola playing articulated quavers, there is then a pause going into the allegro. The rhythm here is simple as the movement is ending with the woodwind section playing a pedal continuing on from the flutes from the previous page, the first violin joining in with the woodwind section with a double-stopped pedal to end, the second violins and violas however end off the piece with quavers with a crotchet end in the root chord. There is then a pause to end off the movement moving into the Allegro.
In 1758 Haydn was in charge of his first orchestra which had about 16 musicians in it. It was this orchestra that he put all his time and work into, he also wrote concertos and symphonies for them to play publicly. When he went into debt he parted with his patron Von Morzin and then the Esterhazy family who were the best at supporting music In Austria at that time. He was appointed assisted conductor of their own orchestra in 1761, he worked his way up and they were a formidable pair and did so until his death in 1809. His work with the Esterhazy family happened at the pinnacle of his life so it rewarded his with fame and wealth and did so up until his death.
Overall the mood of this piece is very angelic and flows really well. The use of the crescendos and diminuendos like in the last 5 bars with the sforszando into pp in the first and second violins really contrast and counter one another, also the use of pedals to end off the movement with a calm and easing end really ends off the piece spectacularly.
Overall Eroica by Beethoven and Symphony No.88 by Haydn are two very different pieces and very composed at slightly different times but both share the same attributes in the sense of contrasting and countering dynamics and melodies. Beethoven's ability to change the mood from a march almost patriotic sounding piece to a calm, tranquil symphony shows his extreme talent for composing. Whereas Haydn's use of melody-making which when played in the mind can enhance emotions using his fantastic composing ability. Both these pieces have such gripping back stories it's hard not to be grasped by the story in which they were composed and to also be moved by the pieces themselves.