Ludwig

van Beethoven

Dr. Lara Housez

School of the Arts
McMaster University

Content
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 5 in C Minor
Rhythm
Dynamics
Form
Timbre

Other compositions

Ludwig van Beethoven

(1770-1827)
German composer
As a teenager, may have met
and played piano for Mozart
At age 22, moved to Vienna
where he studied with
Haydn (1790-1794)
Virtuoso pianist and
composer
Hearing began to deteriorate
in his late 20s; caused
intense grief and
contemplated suicide
Enjoyed the Winancial
support of patrons in Vienna

 Beethoven was regarded as the greatest

living composer of instrumental music
When he died, he was hailed a national hero
and 20,000 lined the streets of Vienna for
his funeral procession. Composer Franz
Schubert served as a torch-bearer
Best known for his 9 symphonies, 5 piano
concertos, 32 piano sonatas, 16 string
quartets, and choral works
Beethovens legacy, his shadow

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor (1808)

Opening theme is likely the worlds best
known, consisting of only 4 notes and 2 pitches


rhythm: short short short long
1st movement was included on the Voyager
Golden Record
(play from MML)

 Finding musical meaning

No program to guide listeners
Thus Fate pounds at the portal (Anton
Schindler or Beethoven?)
This symphony and its main theme in particular
have become an aural symbol of strength and
resolve
"pounds at the portal" means the pounding... the sound

 Rhythm
Simple, recognizable theme:
short-short-short-LONG
The opening statement of the theme is
monophonic (unison), then polyphonic
Theme used throughout 1st movement (e.g.
development, recapitulation and coda)
Dynamics
Music moves without warning between
extremes (e.g. opening)
Dynamic contrast between very soft and very
loud in 3-4 mvt. (@ 8:20)

Form
1st movement: sonata form
2nd: set of variations on 2 different themes, 1
soft and 1 loud ABA'B'A''B''A''' theme+variation 123
3rd: ternary (ABA) (this mvt. leads without a
break into the next one)
4th: sonata form with a surprise return of
material from the 3rd mvt. just before the
beginning of the recapitulation

Overall form of the symphony: cyclic because the
individual movements are linked thematically
(e.g. compare 1st mvt. with
3rd and 4th movements [@1:00 and @14:10])

Timbre
Beethoven expanded the orchestra, by
introducing piccolo (L) and contrabassoon (2nd
from R) in the 4th mvt. plus extra trombones
(R)

 Instrumental groups juxtaposed (e.g. wind

and strings @ 3:30)
Virtuosic parts for unusual instruments
(double basses, 3rd mvt. @ 2:05)

Other Compositions
Piano Sonata in C# Minor, op. 27, no. 2
(Moonlight)
Piano Sonata, F Minor, op. 57
(Appassionata)
9 symphonies - 9th uses chorus and
orchestra (@ 5:00), also performance
featuring 10,000 musicians

For Friday
Read: pp. 248-254
Listen: CD 3, track 8 (Schubert, Erlknig,
D. 328)