Brahmms First Symphony Essay

Beethoven’s symphony No. 5 in C minor has four movements. The first movement is “Allegro con brio”. In the first movement, Beethoven uses sonata form and duple meter to express “fate knocking at the door.” When this part Played by the string’s instruments, it gives me a serious threatening and nervous feeling. In the second theme, Beethoven used Solo French horns to present quiet and peaceful fate, but this atmosphere did not last long. Low strings and descending line are bringing tough, dark and dangerous atmosphere. The second movement is Andante con moto. The rhythm is slow and the meter is triple. It utilizes theme and variations. Theme A is a recitative and played by violas and cellos. It presents a warm feeling. Variation B uses Trumpets,

As noted by Robert Hughes, "Beethoven was not only the embodiment of all that was before him, but also of that which was yet to come" (Hughes 486). The truth of this may be seen by comparing Beethoven's 5th Symphony in C Minor to Haydn, the father of Symphony, and his 95th in C Minor. While Haydn's symphony is both playful and dramatic, Beethoven's symphony is grander both in terms of scale and vision. He expands the size of the orchestra to incorporate the sounds swirling around, underlying, and depicting the arrival of Fate in a rhythm-driven, thematic symphony that takes Haydn's form and runs with it as though to the top of a mountain peak. This paper will analyze the symphonies by movement, according to form, size, structure, tonalities, melodies, orchestral sound and overall mood and effect.

The symphony is in four very powerful and entertaining movements. The first movement begins in the pianissimo tone with the strings section, but quickly enters the fortissimo tone with the introduction of the woodwind, brass and percussion sections. The dynamics of the musical melody varies throughout the movement moving from crescendo to decrescendo modes. The first movement reminds you of a raging storm from soft blowing winds to thunder and lighting. The audience is mesmerized by this first movement of the sonata.

For my first paper, I chose to write about Beethoven’s Symphony no. 6 conducted in Rome by Claudio Abbado in F Major. I chose this symphony based on the description of the symphony which is a program symphony that transfers the listener to an outdoor setting. I had not listened to Classical music since taking music class back in the sixth grade, but I am almost certain we covered Beethoven’s symphonies. Upon hearing the first fifteen seconds of the piece, I was transported back into both my middle school class and a setting where I felt like I was actually immersed in most of the feelings described in Beethoven’s words of his symphony. The symphony is a Sonata form which we learned is work written as absolute music written for a specific combination

Beethoven’s earlier works had conformed to a more traditional and Mozart-like style, often including themes from Haydn as well. When Beethoven went to live in Heiligenstadt, he came to terms with his increasing deafness and decided to live on through his work. When he returned to Vienna he began to compose his Third Symphony, he incorporated a new unorthodox style of using the music to express his internal feelings through the piece itself. Many people felt that Beethoven’s complex expressions in his Third Symphony were somewhat unpleasant or longer than needed, however that did not mean that his third symphony was not a success. The second movement of the third symphony was considered odd by many because of its juxtaposition of a funeral march among the other movements which were more triumphant or lighthearted. Furthermore, Beethoven’s unprecedented expression of self in the Eroica forced his contemporaries to change their notions of a symphonies purpose. (Gibbs) “It foreshadowed the world that Wagner and, ultimately, Sigmund Freud would explore—the realm of the unconscious. That’s what was so revolutionary.”

Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony, the “Pastorale Symphony” or “Recollections of Country Life”, Op. 68, was composed in 1808 and was premiered in concert along with Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, although two completely different symphonies. Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony is in the key of F major and is composed of five movements, which is his only symphony to have five movements. The second movement of Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony, “Scene by the Brook”, is in a slow sonata form and is in the key of Bb major, the subdominant of the “Pastorale Symphony”. Tone painting, the musical technique of composing music that reflects the literal meaning, is interpreted so much within the second movement of Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony, that listeners can visualize the simplicity of the beautiful scene of nature.

Johannes Brahms was one of the first German composers to grow alongside the musical canon and "musical museum." He had a familiarity with established composers including Beethoven, Haydn, and J.S. Bach. Beethoven's legacy of masterworks intimidated Brahms-over 60 percent of orchestra performances comprised of Beethoven's works-and even asserted that he would "never compose a symphony" (Frisch 178). Critics were harsh on new symphonies, comparing them to Beethoven, Mozart, and Haydn's masterworks, and it was not until his forties when he wrote his first symphony. Brahms' symphonies were influenced by specific past musical masterworks, including J.S. Bach's Partita for Solo Violin No. 2 and the Finale of Beethoven's Eroica, and while not particularly interesting at first, his symphonies were well-received by the audience and

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor’s themes occur from 00:00-03:00. The first theme is heard at 00:07-00:51 and 01:33-02:18 (the themes repeat). The second theme is played from 00:51-01:33 and from 02:18 -02:41. In Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 in F major, the first theme occurs at 1:20-2:07 and 3:23-4:06. Beethoven’s second theme enters at 2:07-3:23 and 4:06-5:27. In keeping with sonata form, the first theme of both of these symphonies is slightly darker than the second (although the latter symphony is more lighthearted than the

The symphonies performed were constructed by well-renowned composers such as Arnold Schoenberg, Olivier Messiaen, Igor Stravinsky and other compelling composers as well. Many of these composers led overwhelming lives that clearly influenced their works. The symphonies drew the listeners closer and closer to their rich and bold sounds. For instance, Schoenberg’s famous “emancipation of dissonance” was reflective in his “Five Pieces for Orchestra”. He derived the intriguing concept of dissonance and presented this as it was his first atonal piece. The colors and sharp sounds were very dynamic. The first four pieces I would say are programmatic and Stravinsky’s pieces are absolute; he made a clear reference to classical music. However it is important to note how Schoenberg intended his piece to be non-programmatic in order to focus more on the evolved music he had created. On the other hand his titles

Then follows a scherzo with trio - Molto vivace - also in D minor. The scherzo itself is in sonata form with all parts repeated. The octave tuned drums immediately announcing the important role they play in the tonality of the movement as a whole. Then follows a hushed fugato, which serves an introductory purpose as the full force of the orchestra. Then follows a more harmonic path with the utmost vigor. The second subject in C major adds an unusual harmonic flavor. The trio has a quasi-pastoral flavor, The trio is played only once, although Beethoven fools us into believing we will here it once more at the end, like in the first movement but it abruptly ends.

Beethoven’s symphony No. 5 in c minor, Op. 67, I has four movements allegro con brio, andante con moto, scherzo allegro, and allegro. The first movement is a sonata that contains a motif and fortissimo phases using imitation and sequence with a constant flowing melody. The second movement contains two themes in alternation. The first theme starts later followed by the second which later dies of as a third theme is born followed by fortissimo The third movement contains a scherzo and trio and is in ternary form the theme is immediately stated and continually gets revived. The fourth and final movement starts immediately after the third and is a variation of a sonata. The piece has strong cadence and recapitulates only to finish in an extremely

The 1st movement is in sonata form. The slow introduction to this symphony is unusual in that it begins in the subdominant key - E minor, solemnly introduced by the bassoons. It modulates into B minor and the tempo increases for the principal subject. This theme is elaborated and developed, and a march-like motif forms a bridge passage leading to a climax. The strings then introduce an amorous, song-like second subject in D major. The development section enters with a bang. This section brings no startling thematic growth or transformation, but is

The first movement of Symphony No. 7 is noted for its long ascending scales as well as its applied dominants relative to its C major and F major modulations. The Introduction begins with a short A chord from the full orchestra. After eight bars, the piece has briefly entered the key of F major already and is now accompanied by scales of two octaves which begin softly, similar to the way a person creeps up and down a staircase. These scales repeat, gradually becoming louder and more extravagant. The third theme

The symphony consists of four movements. The first movement, Allegro vivace, is in sonata form. In the first theme (Ex.1), many sequences were used to construct the melody. And being inspired by Italian opera, Mendelssohn here tired to delay the closure of the theme as much as possible. While the second theme, it shares the similar materials as the first theme. In the development section, although a new theme appears, it consists of some materials of the first theme. Then, all these three themes appear again in the recapitulation, creating a sense of unity.

The second tool Berlioz employed in this symphony is rhythm. Berlioz uses a wide variety of rhythms in this piece ranging from quick, scurrying passages to calm, smooth melodies. The rhythm used in conjunction with the instrumentation helps to further expand upon the idea that Berlioz is trying to portray. The beginning of the fourth movement is supposed to be one of dread, the artist has just killed his love and Berlioz uses a slow and heavy melody to express this. The parts where Berlioz uses the horns to represent the crowd cheering are quick, giving a feeling of rejoice, of victory