Beethoven 9

Texture:

• The famous horn solo from bars 83-99 of the 3rd movement is a great example of the growing importance of brass instruments at this time.

• There is a belief that this could have been one of the earliest examples of a valve horn being used in symphonic music and may well be the very first valve horn solo.

• Rest of the texture at this point is homophonic but slightly more individually dressed (ex. The strings have some more rhythmic interest where the pitches of the harmony is passed between the strings)

• Choir introduced in finale movement

• Fugal parts are also featured in the finale

Development of movement conventions:

• 4 movements, 2 and 3 swapped so the scherzo and trio come before the slow movement., almost like its setting the scene for the finale as it calms the mood down. This was a creative change to try to make the finale feel a lot more dramatic.

• Considered almost unplayable at the time due to the sheer difficulty

• The fourth movement is very long, being as long as stamitz’s entire symphony

• All the themes from the previous movements are brought back (Quasi Recitative) at the beginning of the movement in reverse order, after each is played the basses play essentially rejecting the melodies until we reach the main theme of this movement, the ‘Ode to Joy’. This was incredibly unique as it had almost never been done before.Unusual as basses introduce the Ode to Joy theme

• Two Double Fugues appear within this movement, again totally uniqueChorus + Soloists appear in the final movement as well

• The second movement has a double theme and variation structure, with themes A and B alternating, this shows us how the structure of the second movement has developed (as well as showing there is no set structure for this movement)

Extra-musical influences:

• The Ninth Symphony symbolises powerfully the struggle through night into light, of progress against reaction, to which Beethoven dedicated his whole life and work. It is often expressed in a struggle between a dark minor key and a brilliant affirmative major key.

• Beethoven started work on a tenth symphony but it was not completed before his death in 1827, leaving the Ninth to stand as a symbol of his achievements in bringing together people to extol the virtues of universal friendship.

• In his new book The Ninth: Beethoven and the World in 1824, Sachs circumspectly, and persuasively, describes Beethoven's only vocal symphony as a statement of freedom in the repressive political environment of Europe after the Congress of Vienna.

• Return of all the themes in 4th movement before ‘Ode to Joy’ Theme (Quasi Recitative)-First movement begins in minor key (Dm), ends in B major (moves from light to dark)The size of the orchestra was unprecedented