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In which musical period was Beethoven's Symphony No. 1 composed?

The late Classical period.

Beethoven's Symphony No. 1 is considered a transitional piece between which two musical eras?

The Classical and Romantic eras.

Which two composers, typical of the Classical period, heavily influenced early Beethoven?

Haydn and Mozart.

What is the overall key of Beethoven's Symphony No. 1?

C major.

What is the standard structure used for the first movement of a Classical symphony?

Sonata form.

Name the three main sections of sonata form.

Exposition, Development, and Recapitulation.

What is the purpose of the Exposition in sonata form?

To introduce the two main themes, or subjects.

What is the name of the short rounding-off section at the end of the exposition?

Codetta.

What is the name of the final passage added to the end of a movement in sonata form to create a clear finish?

Coda.

The first movement of Symphony No. 1 begins with a slow introduction, a technique Beethoven borrowed from which two composers?

Haydn and Mozart.

What is the Italian tempo marking for the slow introduction of the first movement?

Adagio molto (very slow).

What is shocking about the tonality of the slow introduction?

It is tonally ambiguous and does not establish the tonic key of C major.

The very first chord of the symphony is a C7. To which key, the subdominant, does this chord resolve?

F major.

What is the time signature of the slow introduction?

4/4 (common time).

What is the Italian tempo marking for the main section of the first movement?

Allegro con brio (fast and with spirit).

The time signature changes from 4/4 in the introduction to what in the main Allegro section?

2/2 (alla breve or cut time).

In the exposition, the first subject is presented in the tonic key. What is this key?

C major.

The second subject in the exposition modulates to which key, which is typical for sonata form?

G major (the dominant).

How does the key of the second subject change when it returns in the recapitulation?

It is played in the tonic key, C major.

Describe the melody of the first subject.

It is energetic, based on the notes of the C major triad, and features dotted rhythms.

Which family of instruments first plays the first subject?

The strings.

How is the second subject contrasted with the first subject?

It is a more lyrical, legato theme played as a dialogue between woodwind instruments.

Which two woodwind instruments are in dialogue at the start of the second subject?

The oboe and the flute.

What is the main function of the development section in sonata form?

To develop fragments of the main themes and modulate through different keys.

Beethoven's harmony is primarily _, meaning it is based on major and minor scales and uses cadences.

diatonic.

What type of cadence, using chords V-I, is frequently used to conclude sections and confirm keys?

Perfect cadence.

The introduction features an 'interrupted cadence' in its second bar. Which two chords form this cadence?

V-VI.

A _ is a sustained or repeated note, often in the bass, while the harmony above it changes.

pedal note.

The timpani are tuned to which two notes to reinforce the tonic and dominant harmonies?

C and G.

A key feature of Beethoven's style is the frequent use of _, a sudden, strong accent on a note or chord.

sforzando (sf or sfz).

What is the term for a loud dynamic followed immediately by a quiet one, used in the introduction?

Fortepiano (fp).

Term: Antiphonal texture.

A texture where two groups of instruments alternate, as if in dialogue (e.g., woodwind vs strings).

The predominant texture of the first movement is _, meaning a melody with chordal accompaniment.

homophonic.

What is the term for when all instruments in the orchestra play together?

Tutti.

The first subject melody is unusual for the Classical period because it consists of two ___-bar phrases.

six.

The second subject provides an example of 'balanced phrasing'. What does this mean?

The phrases are of an even length, typically four or eight bars.

What rhythmic feature characterises the first subject?

Dotted rhythms.

What is the term for playing notes smoothly and connected?

Legato.

What is the term for playing notes short and detached?

Staccato.

In the introduction, how are the strings instructed to play the opening chords?

Pizzicato (plucked).

At the start of the recapitulation, the first subject is played fortissimo over a range of five ____.

octaves.

What is the term for a musical 'joke' or a fast-paced, energetic movement that Beethoven often used instead of a Minuet and Trio?

Scherzo.

What is the instrumentation of the woodwind section in this symphony?

Two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, and two bassoons.

What is the instrumentation of the brass section in this symphony?

Two natural horns and two natural trumpets.

What does it mean that the horns and trumpets are 'natural' instruments?

They have no valves and can only produce a limited range of notes.

What is the term for a rapid alternation between two notes, often used as ornamentation?

Trill.

The development section features a _, where an idea is imitated by different instruments with staggered entries.

canon.

When two musical lines move in opposite directions at the same time, this is called _.

contrary motion.

The term for gradually getting louder is _.

crescendo.

The term for gradually getting quieter is _.

diminuendo.

Beethoven's symphonies are generally grouped into three periods. In which period was Symphony No. 1 written?

The Early period (approx. 1794-1802).

What is the main characteristic of Beethoven's Early period style?

Assimilating the Classical style of Haydn and Mozart while finding his own voice.

What is the name of the 'bridge' section in the exposition that connects the first and second subjects?

Transition.

The use of an ambiguous opening that deliberately confuses the listener about the home key is reminiscent of the humour found in whose music?

Joseph Haydn.

What is a 'dominant seventh' chord?

A four-note chord built on the fifth degree of the scale, creating tension that wants to resolve to the tonic.

What is the purpose of repeating the exposition?

To firmly establish the main themes and key relationships in the listener's mind.

In the development, Beethoven modulates to several keys. Name one minor key he modulates to.

C minor, F minor, or G minor.

What is 'double stopping' on a string instrument?

Playing two notes at the same time by drawing the bow across two strings.

What does a roll on the timpani create?

A sense of drama, tension, or excitement.

The melody of the second subject is described as being in the style of a question and answer response. What are the musical terms for this?

Antecedent and consequent phrases.

When a short melodic idea is repeated immediately at a higher or lower pitch, it is called a ____.

sequence.

What is the term for the marking 'tenuto' used in the introduction?

To hold the note for its full value, with a slight emphasis.

How does Beethoven create a powerful and emphatic end to the movement in the coda?

By using fortissimo dynamics and repeatedly stating the tonic C major chord.

Which section of sonata form resolves the harmonic tension built up during the movement?

The Recapitulation.