Ludwig van Beethoven‘s Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21 is considered to be a landmark in the field of symphonic composition. In this work the composer brings the late Classical period into full bloom while bridging in the essence of Romanticism. This was the composers’ first major composition for orchestra in which he scored: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in C, 2 bassons, 2 horns in C and F, 2 trumpets in C, timpani and strings. The form of the piece is comprised of 4 movements.
The first movement (Adagio molto) opens up with a slow 12 bar introduction containing a dominant chordal movement relative to the tonal center of G Major but with suggestions of an F major as a possible tonal center. One can gain a great sense of dominant tension …show more content…
It starts very lyrically at the end of bar 52 with a legato motif that starts with a minim that then does a descending quaver note movement in the oboes. This is conversationally repeated by flutes creating more antithetic dialogue.
Subject 2:
This is highly contrasting to the first subjects’ rapid and vigorous quality. The dialogue is carried on for four measures through to bar 56 until a variation (S2b) carries out a sforzando accent on beat three for woodwinds and beat four for strings, giving a rather energetic quality to the phrase.
This motivic pattern imitates three times, each time increasing in dynamic to create a climactic crescending quality that is followed by scale passages in the woodwind and strings in bars 69 – 70.
Scale passages (m. 68 – 72):
After this turbulent affair we see the return of the second subject which makes a light ending in measures 77 – 88 as the initial piano minim-followed-by-quaver motif is commanded by the lower stringed instruments while there are sustained long notes played by the woodwinds and a soft piannisimo accompaniment by the string section.
Return of the second subject with light accompaniment by
The first movement (Adagio molto) opens up with a slow 12 bar introduction containing a dominant chordal movement relative to the tonal center of G Major but with suggestions of an F major as a possible tonal center. One can gain a great sense of dominant tension …show more content…
It starts very lyrically at the end of bar 52 with a legato motif that starts with a minim that then does a descending quaver note movement in the oboes. This is conversationally repeated by flutes creating more antithetic dialogue.
Subject 2:
This is highly contrasting to the first subjects’ rapid and vigorous quality. The dialogue is carried on for four measures through to bar 56 until a variation (S2b) carries out a sforzando accent on beat three for woodwinds and beat four for strings, giving a rather energetic quality to the phrase.
This motivic pattern imitates three times, each time increasing in dynamic to create a climactic crescending quality that is followed by scale passages in the woodwind and strings in bars 69 – 70.
Scale passages (m. 68 – 72):
After this turbulent affair we see the return of the second subject which makes a light ending in measures 77 – 88 as the initial piano minim-followed-by-quaver motif is commanded by the lower stringed instruments while there are sustained long notes played by the woodwinds and a soft piannisimo accompaniment by the string section.
Return of the second subject with light accompaniment by