Ludwig van Beethoven was an influential composer and pianist of the Classical period and left a mark on the world with his complex works. He was born in Germany in 1770. Beethoven composed a multitude of compositions, and many composers after his time period were influenced by him, especially during the period of Romanticism. However, Beethoven composed many of his most famous and impressive works whilst battling the plight of deafness.
Among his many compositions, the one I had the opportunity to hear was the performance of Symphony No. 6 in F major, Opus 68 (Pastoral) at the Houston Symphony. This composition involved five movements, which was longer than the average symphony piece in the Classical period, and it was completed in 1808. The venue had a grand ambiance with the red carpet, high ceilings, and large doors; the rows of chairs that extended down from the balcony and mezzanine to the orchestra seats in the front added to the spaciousness of the concert hall. The program piece encompassed the nature of the outdoors which allowed the composition to be relatable to a wide and diverse audience from children to adults. Personally, the two movements that connected with me the most would be the second movement, “Scene by the brook”, and the fourth movement, “Thunderstorm”.
Although the venue was enormous with hundreds of seats, the whole concert hall was filled. Little children with their parents, grown couples, and young adults sat in the red chairs. The audience had an ambiance of awe and astonishment during the movements as each one had a varying mood and message. Key performers included Eric Halen ad Qi Ming as concertmasters, Aralee Dorough and Matthew Roitstein playing the flutes, Mark Nuccio and Thomas LeGrand playing the clarinets, Jonathan Fischer and Anne Leek playing the oboes, Ronald Holdman playing the timpani, and Allen Barnhill and Bradley White playing the trombones. The conductor, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, had an intense stage appearance due to his numerous years of experience from the age of 15. He has achieved many accomplishments by studying abroad and appearing on stage with many of the most well-known orchestras. The instrumentation for the composition included two flutes, two oboes, one piccolo, two clarinets, two French horns, two bassoons, two trombones, two trumpets, timpani, and strings.
The second movement, “Scene by the brook”, begins with the notes of the string section symbolizing flowing water with a rippling effect. The movement has a rhythm in compound quadruple meter, sonata form, a tempo in andante molto mosso, and a homophonic texture. There is also a calm and light-hearted melody that whisks its way throughout the movement. The instrumentation illustrates the imagery and evokes a mood of peacefulness to comprehend the unfiltered beauty in nature. The timbre of the movement is tranquil, and the dynamics of “Scene by the brook” are exhibited to interchange between pianissimo and fortissimo. A staccato phrase is introduced to silence the flowing water. In the coda, Beethoven introduces a cadenza and includes the instruments on the score as the flute portrays the nightingale, the oboe depicts the quail, and the clarinet plays the cuckoo.
The fourth movement, “Thunderstorm”, begins with kettledrums and trombones that help to enhance the thundering bellows. The performers’ swift motions of the bows in the string section represent the lightning in the movement. The thunder and the lighting emphasized by the violins, drums, and trombones symbolize the caution that humans have towards nature because they are weak against its forces. Because the tone color of “Thunderstorm” is very rough and jarring, it created a mood of caution among the audience because of the abrupt transition from a celebratory occasion to a dark storm. The musical characteristics of “Thunderstorm” include a tempo that’s allegro, a rhythm in quadruple meter, dynamics in fortissimo, and as the storm fades, a hymn-like tune is created. However, the movement does not end in a complete cadence, but rather transitions to the final movement.
Ludwig van Beethoven was influenced by environmental factors such as the beauty of nature and the discovery of society’s emotions towards the outdoors. Beethoven appreciated nature, and throughout summer, he would take walks in Vienna and would express the joy he felt whilst in the woods. He believed that the outdoors produced a unique sound; the trees would talk, creating an enchanted air about them. Many composers during the time period wrote works reflecting shepherds and the outdoors; however, Beethoven not only depicted the meaning behind nature and its beauty, but he also portrayed the emotions that people had towards it. The desire to reveal what humans felt fueled his passion to complete his work.
I would attend another concert because the symphony taught me to understand the complexity and the depth behind instrumental music. I enjoyed the music because I was able to visualize the imagery that was evoked through the natural sounds of the outdoors like the birds chirping, the water flowing, and the thunder and lightning in the sky. The performance changed my opinion of the musical genre because I had previously characterized classical music as always being slow and boring without giving it a proper chance; however, Symphony No. 6 in F major, Opus 68 (Pastoral) allowed me to experience a multitude of sides to the classical genre which encompassed a range of dynamics, instrumentation, and tone color. Overall, the experience allowed me to have a new and appreciative outlook on the classical genre of music.