Jennifer walker

MUMH 2040
Essay 2
11/20/13

Beethovens Symphony No. 5.

Da-da-da-DUM! That sound is probably the most well-known and well recognize
sound in all music. Anyone can identify what musical piece this came from, and that piece is
Beethovens Symphony No. 5. Op. 67 in C minor. This piece was written in 1804-1808 and
was first performed in Vienna's Theater an der Wienn in 1808. These four notes achieved in the
first movement have crushed the time barrier and are still considered a masterpiece. Beethovens
Symphony No. 5. Consists of four movements and of course is performed by an orchestra. What
I like about this piece is that it seems that Beethoven just jumps right into the music. There is no
soft introduction, it just starts with no warning. It gives you an element of surprise that some
music today are lacking. I will be describing two pieces of the symphony the first and second
movement.
The first movement is the one that sets the mood for the whole piece. Its an
allegro con biro (C minor). The first movement includes a rhythmic-melodic tune of just four
notes, which is the key motif of the whole symphony. This is what the theme is constructed of.

Those four notes with a long suspenseful pause after are what give the first movement a very
dramatic opening to its first theme. The first theme is delivered by upper strings and according to
Tom Service of the Guardian The first movement creates its tumultuous organic chemistry of
interrelationships from the atomic particles of the notes it started with; in different guises, the
four-note rhythmic idea permeates the rest of the symphony as well; then comes the elaborate
variations of the slow movement, and its teeming effulgence of string writing that is a lyrical,
long-breathed structural counterpoint to the first movement's explosive fragments (Tom). This
in my opinion describes the first movement perfectly. Its dramatic and dark like a loud pounding
hammer its unexpected. The first movement has also been described as a miracle of motive
development, and only Beethoven could perform that.
The second movement is the most lyrical of all the movements. Its very beautiful
and sets a contemplative mood with powerful contrast. The second movement is a double
variation and has two melodies. The melodies are one after the other, and they are both varied in
turn. The first theme is a melody played in unison by violas and cellos that are accompanied by
the double basses, soon after this the second theme starts. The harmony is provided by clarinets,
bassoons, and violins. The second theme also includes a triplet arpeggio in the violas and bass.
To Chris Frigon Beethoven chooses the First Rondo-form; at least, this most nearly indicates
his structural intention. But it is treated with much latitude: the frequent repetitions and
recurrences of the melodious principal Theme are variated---analogously to the scheme of the

Finale of the Eroica Symphony; and there is no more than a barely recognizable intimation of a
subordinate Theme (Chris). The second movements starts out slower than the first. At the
beginning its calm and relaxing. I like the drama of the first movement, but the second
movement is my favorite. It makes me feel somewhat relaxed, until the horns join in.
The era in which this masterpiece was created in was the classical era. New forms
were created in the classical era and the most important is sonata form, which is the form that
Beethoven pushed the boundaries of in his works. The classical era lasted for almost 70 years.
The four major composers of the classical era were Haydn, Mozart, Gluck, and Beethoven.
The musical elements of Beethovens symphony no. 5. The melodies consist of
many different variations throughout the piece. According the BBC radio broadcast Dotted
rhythms are a feature of the first theme of movement 2, In addition, Beethoven uses syncopated
rhythms, triplet figuration, and semi- and demisemiquaver passagework as basic rhythmic ideas
throughout the symphony (BBC). That described the rhythm of the whole piece. The texture the
symphony consists of many like: homophony, dialoguing, monophony, octaves. The pitch is full
ranged but with the addition of the piccolo the upper pitch is extended and the pitch is lowered
into the bass register with the addition of the contrabassoon.
This symphony was performed during the uprising of the middle class, so the
intended audience was the middle call. That is not the intended audience today. Today anyone in
the world can listen to this masterpiece via internet. Now everyone can enjoy classical music.

Bibliography
BBC Radio, last modified Feb 15, 2009, http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00hkc9b

Chris, Nov 27, 2005, Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, Symphony salon blog, 11/21/13,
http://symphonysalon.blogspot.com/2005/11/beethoven-symphony-no5.html

Tom, Sep 16, 2013 (11:14pm), Symphony Guide: Beethovens 5th. Tomserviceonclassicalblog,
http://www.theguardian.com/music/tomserviceblog/2013/sep/16/symphony-guide-beethovenfifth-tom-service