Symphony No. 6 (beethoven)

BACKGROUND, COMPOSITION AND RECEPTION

Beethoven was a lover of nature who spent a great deal of his time on walks in the country. He frequently left Vienna to work in rural locales. He was, however, not the first composer to depict nature symphonically; for example, Joseph Haydn 's Oratorio '' The Seasons '', premiered in 1802, likewise portrayed the loveliness of nature, dancing peasants, a thunderstorm, bird calls, and so on. Beethoven did not write another oratorio, but a symphony, and thus escaped from the overly-literal character that a Libretto would have imposed. As the composer said, the Sixth Symphony is "a matter more of feeling than of painting in sounds," and the same point is made in the title he attached to the first movement (see below).

The Sixth Symphony was composed simultaneously with Beethoven's more famous -- and more fiery -- Fifth Symphony . It was premiered along with the Fifth in a long and somewhat underrehearsed concert in the Theater An Der Wien in Vienna , on December 22, 1808. It was received rather coldly, mainly due to the excitement caused by its more flamboyant counterpart. Although the Sixth Symphony contains some of Beethoven's most beautiful writing, the crowds had been wanting another bold and adventurous work, and the relatively calm and introspective composition was not wholly to their liking.

Since this inauspicious beginning, however, the work has become one of the central works of the symphonic repertoire. It is a favorite of many listeners and is frequently performed and recorded today.

A performance of the work lasts about 40 minutes.

FORM

The symphony breaks from the standard symphonic form of the time in having five movements, rather than the four typical of the Classical era. The movements are marked as follows:

# Erwachen heiterer Empfindungen bei der Ankunft auf dem Lande ''(Awakening of joyous feelings upon arrival in the country)'': Allegro Ma Non Troppo
# Szene am Bach ''(By the brook)'': Andante Molto mosso
# Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute ''(Happy gathering of country folk)'': Allegro
# Gewitter. Sturm ''(Thunderstorm; Storm)'': Allegro
# Hirtengesang. Frohe und dankbare Gefühle nach dem Sturm ''(Shepherd's song; cheerful and thankful feelings after the storm)'': Allegretto

The last three movements are performed together without pause.

The scoring of the symphony differs by movement. For the more lyrical first, second, and final movements, Beethoven specified a fairly small s, two Oboe s, two Clarinet s, two Bassoon s, two French Horn s, and a string section consisting of the usual first and second Violin s, Viola s, Cello s, and Double Bass es. For the third movement, these players are joined by two Trumpet s, and to increase the effectiveness of the storm, Beethoven adds the trumpets, two Trombone s, Timpani , and a Piccolo .

DESCRIPTION OF MOVEMENTS

I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo

The symphony begins with a placid and cheerful movement depicting the composer's feelings as he arrives in the country. The work is in Sonata Form , and makes use of a small number of themes, each of which is extensively developed and transformed.

An unusual aspect of the movement is the use of a microscopic texture, obtained by multiple repetitions of very short motifs. As Yvonne Frindle has said, "the infinite repetition of pattern in nature [is] conveyed through rhythmic cells, its immensity through sustained pure harmonies."

II. Andante Molto mosso

This movement, entitled by Beethoven "By the brook," is held to be one of Beethoven's most beautiful and serene compositions. It is in a 12/8 measure and the key is B flat major, the Subdominant of the main key of the work, and is in sonata form.

At the opening the strings play a motif that clearly imitates flowing water. The cello section is divided, with just two players playing the flowing-water notes on muted instruments, with the remaining cellos playing mostly Pizzicato notes together with the double basses.

Toward the end of the movement there is a (flute), Quail (oboe), and Cuckoo (clarinet).

III. Allegro

This is the Scherzo movement of the symphony, which depicts the country folk dancing and reveling. It is in F major, returning to the main key of the symphony.

The form of the movement is an altered version of the usual form for scherzi, as follows:

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Symphony No. 6 (beethoven)