Review of The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, conducted by Bernard Haitink in 2009
The Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 was composed by Beethoven and was completed in
1808. It is also referred to as “Pastoral Symphony.” In 2009, Bernard Haitink conducted the performance of the symphony by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
From Haitink’s concert on Beethoven’s sixth symphony, I was expecting to see the original work of composer. The symphony has qualities of both the classical and romantic periods and illustrates composer’s radical ideas as well as highlighting his classical influences. Its programmatic nature is the main romantic feature though the dramatic dynamic changes, as well as the use of percussion and brass, are also
…show more content…
Programmatic symphonies occurred primarily in the late- Romantic and Classical period. The repetition of the different subjects is a feature is a programmatic symphony and, therefore, a romantic trait. For example, the ‘bird calls’ produced by the strings in bar
151 are programmatic.
Haitink’s traversal of the ‘Pastoral’ is a fine achievement, established on tempi that strike the viewers. On the first movement, he takes it at a flowing, warm tempo. The Orchestra plays radiantly for him. The played symphony has a nice, firm bass line, revealingly enriched at intervals by the horns, and its attention to dynamics is meticulous throughout the whole symphony. The first movement ends in such a way that, the symphony can be heard as a wonderfully civilized and wise account of the performance.
The second movement is designed beautifully. Once again the tempo is skillfully chosen.
The woodwinds and the strings afford Haitink some fine playing and there are several lovely woodwind solos for the audience to enjoy. The third movement is lithe and light – this is a joyful and well-sprung dance. The subsequent storm is exciting, featuring some thrilling strikes on the timpani.
The finale brings an excellent summary of the performance. In Haitink’s experienced hands, the symphony is serene, displaying an inner radiance and warmth. The style is demonstrative and completely natural. The pacing is perfect and the playing is glowing.
Even though Haitink shapes
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 at the Berlin Philharmonie, gifted the audience with a masterful rendition of the movements within the symphony. The Symphony divides into three separate parts, in which the movements complement each other's characteristics. The symphony orchestra features a myriad of orchestral instruments featuring the Brass, Woodwinds, Strings, and Percussion families. Furthermore, the various movements throughout the performance utilize various musical concepts that bring the music to life. Albeit, the complexity of Mahler’s symphony, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performed superbly throughout the performance.
Beethoven followed the typical pattern of Classical symphonies with the sonata form first; however instead of having a slow movement of themes and variations follow the sonata form, he places the scherzo first. This was actually the first that Beethoven places the scherzo before the slower movement. For the second movement, the scherzo, it follows a sonata form and incorporates fugue techniques in the exposition. The piece ends with a chorus and the symphony also features 4 vocal soloists: Ranielle Krause, Caroline Nielsom, San-Ky Kin, and Curtis Streetman. Thus, this piece follows the Choral Symphony
On Sunday, 14 October, Jeffrey Phelps, cello and Lee Jordan-Anders, piano, performed Ludwig van Beethoven’s Sonata in A Major, Opus 69 (1808) and Claude Debussy’s Sonata (1915)
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.
When the concert first began, the three instrumentalists walked with energy despite their age. The first song, “Sonata I in G-Major Op. 2, Nr. 1” by Michel Blavet, was a Baroque Sonata. There were five movements and was played by the harpsichord, flute, and cello. All movements of the song were polyphonic because of the three instruments that had different parts and equal importance. In the first movement, I noticed that the flute tended to rise in pitch. In the second movement, I noticed that the melodies often repeated. Throughout the rest of the song the tempo changed from fast to slow and the flute would usually take the lead. On the last movement, the cello and the harpsichord
Beethoven draws the listener in by providing multiple repetitions of the short fast-slow-fast waves. As I listened, I took notes about things I felt while hearing this. I felt like each time the symphony almost mellowed out with the violins, the listener was relaxed, but then the “fast” part came which included more instruments, and I felt awakened. When all the instruments came to a perfect harmony, it was soothing and satisfying to hear. I could also instantly see the emotions painted on conductor Claudio Abbado’s face as the wave increased in volume before mellowing out
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.
Like the first movement of his Symphony No. 5 in C minor, op. 67, the first movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 in F major is composed in the sonata form, and this represents the most striking similarity between the two symphonies. A sonata consist of three sections: the exposition (wherein the themes are presented), the development (wherein the themes receive new treatment and the drama is heightened) and the recapitulation (in which resolution occurs because the themes return to the home key). Also, both of these include a coda.
I attended Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony on October 14, at the Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth. The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Miguel Harth-Bedoya and Southwestern Seminary Oratorio Chorus, directed by C. David Keith, performed it. Ludwig Van Beethoven composed the work. He composed it between 1811-1824. Beethoven composed the work in D minor, Op. 125 (“Choral”). His Ninth Symphony was his last symphony to compose. It was preceded by eight other symphonies. I was attracted to this work because it was the first symphony to include a choral. I found it astonishing that Beethoven was completely deaf when he finished this work.
The first song played from the Orchestra was Infernal Dance. The whole orchestra plays a loud chord to show the intensity of the piece. The rhythm of this movement is syncopation due to the rhythm not being on the beat. This makes the strong beat weak, thus giving a chilling ambience. Infernal Dance then transitions to the soothing movement Berceuse. Berceuse is a lullaby played by the bassoon. The Orchestra concludes the concert with Finale. Finale is the finishing piece of The Firebird and uses one french horn for the melody in a dynamic of piano. The whole orchestra soon joins in creating a hymn like choral. Instead of ending with a grand note, the brass takes the melody at a faster pace developing a celebratory ending. With its uneven rhythmic and extravagant arrangement this Suite fashions a spellbinding
After a minor wobble of the director stand, a few adjustments and giggles, Symphony No.1 in D major began. The first movement started off with an eerie introduction, with the first two notes morphing into a birdcall as well as main theme but a very magical sound. It made for a very soothing, romantic time. Throughout the piece I felt as if it told a story as most music does, what I came to believe it was a love story. The Allegro begins in the cello with the second Wayfarer song, “Ging heut morgen Ubers Feld,” (I Walked this Morning over the Field). With a light and happy tone in the beginning as if two lovers had just met, this was the main theme of this movement. Suddenly there was a deep, heavy part maybe one of despair in paradise but that only lasted for a short period as it came to a victorious ending of happily ever after. (Kahn)
“He (Beethoven) was a pivotal figure in the transition from 18th century musical classicism to 19th century romanticism, and his influence on subsequent generations of composers was profound” Kerman and Tyson. Beethoven’s sixth symphony (also known as the pastoral symphony) has qualities of both the classical and romantic periods and illustrates Beethoven’s revolutionary ideas as well as highlights his classical influences. The programmatic nature of the piece is the dominant romantic feature although the use of brass and percussion as well as the dramatic dynamic changes are also characteristics from this era. However there are many classical influences in Beethoven’s work such as the balanced phrasing, the
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
Symphony No. 7 in A Major (Op. 92), completed in 1812, might have been one of Ludwig Van Beethoven’s most popular pieces. The seventh of Beethoven’s nine symphonies, its premiere concert (December 1813 in Vienna) was performed at a charity concert in order to benefit the soldiers who had been wounded a few months prior in the battle of Hanau. It was performed three times in ten weeks following its premiere. During the time of the symphony’s premiere, Vienna was still distressed due to being taken over by Napoleon in 1805 and 1809 and yearning for victory; the audience at the premiere seemed to have loved the energy and beauty of the piece. The Seventh Symphony had been dedicated to both Count Moritz von Fries and Russian Empress Elisabeth