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Beethoven Symphony 3

Decent Essays

There are many popular composers whose music has made a great impact on the way that music is created, performed, and listened to all around the world. Each composer has their own unique methods that they used to create their pieces. The composer and musical piece that I will analyze is "Symphony No. 3" by Ludwig van Beethoven. This piece of work focuses on various themes and elements that help portray it into a symphony. To further explain his musical piece, it is important to do an in-depth search on the piece's background, characteristics, and key elements.
To begin with is some background and overview on the "Symphony No. 3." Beethoven wrote the Eroica Symphony at an emotional and hard time in his life when he was in the early stages of …show more content…

Then quickly after there is a simple theme that comes about from the notes as well as the major chords. A majority of the lines or tones within this piece all branch of from a single chord. "Additionally, there are many striking harmonic details, such as the exploration of distantly related keys and the use of dissonant chords. Underlying the entire work, and adding one more layer of complexity, is a continual conflict between duple and triple meter. The first movement, in particular, frequently places accents every two beats even though the music is notated three beats to the measure" (James Keays). The orchestration of Symphony No. 3 includes two oboes, two flutes, two clarinets that are in B-flat, two bassoons, three horns. The first horn is in E-flat, C, and F while the second horn uses E-flat and C. The last of the horns or the third horn is in E-flat. There are also "two trumpets in E-flat and C, timpani in E-flat and B-flat (in the 1st, 3rd, and 4th movements) and in C and G (in the 2nd movement), and strings" (Beethoven: Symphony No. …show more content…

The first movement starts out with a signal that comes off as a powerful, loud, and bold and sets the overall platform in which the song will be based off of. Beethoven alters the standard sonata form by lengthening the development section as well as the coda section. He uses dynamics and texture by having the whole orchestra play parts that are close together allowing a person to hear the similar but different notes giving it a more considerable approach. There are many instances as to where Beethoven strays away from the traditional approach and chooses to take his own path. An example of how he does so is during the thematic development. Instead of having clear and original themes he allows the music to evolve on its own which helps prepare for his fifth symphony later on. With the new theme right in the middle of the development section it catches people's attention because it is not what they were expecting. Like other pieces they expected to hear a continuous theme. To add to Beethoven's use of surprises there is a C note at the beginning of the seventh bar and it remains a very popular note. As the movement first starts off Beethoven chooses to change direction and causes the cellos and violins to get off track. By doing so Beethoven is able to change keys and go to an E minor that plays a part in the unexpected development and

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