ALL BEETHOVEN PROGRAM

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) The structure of Egmont Overture Overture to Egmont, Op. 84 resembles the opening movement of many Classic symphonies. After a slow introduction, Beethoven’s father and grandfather were two di erent themes are presented, musicians, and young Ludwig spent almost developed, and then returned in almost all his childhood studying and practicing original fashion. The work concludes with a the piano, organ, violin, and viola, whether coda that uses previous material. Within this he wanted to or not! In 1792 he left his traditional plan, however, Beethoven adds native city for Vienna, where he stayed the rest his own touches, unleashing extraordinary of his life, earning a living as a piano teacher, powers of dramatic expression and creating concert pianist, conductor, and composer. a new medium—the dramatic overture. Throughout his life Beethoven was deeply Although it may not have been the concerned with the concept of freedom for composer’s intention, Egmont Overture the individual. As a result, he responded closely parallels the story of Goethe’s with enthusiasm when asked, in 1808, drama. The work begins with a loud, to write the incidental music for a sustained sound, followed by darkly production of Goethe’s tragedy Egmont. brooding chords that impart a sense of The hero, Count Egmont (1522-1568), was a monumental solemnity. Beethoven was Dutch nobleman who attempted to free his fond of placing extremely di erent materials countrymen from Spanish domination. For side by side. Throughout the Overture, this, he was imprisoned and sentenced his juxtapositions of contrasting tempos, to death. Visitors to Brussels can still see, dynamics, registers, and timbres suggest on one of the magni cent old houses that the turbulence in Egmont’s soul: Should he line the town square, a plaque with the declare his allegiance to the Spanish following inscription: “Near this spot, on oppressors or remain loyal to his countrymen? June 4, 1568, Lamoral, Count of Egmont was beheaded, a victim of the implacable As the work draws to a close, fortissimo hate and tyranny of Philip II, King of Spain.” chords from the introduction return to form much of the coda. However, the music is In the bloody aftermath of the French suddenly terminated, and there is a Revolution, European theatergoers expect- suspenseful pause followed by four ed (and needed) cheerful conclusions to sustained chords. According to some dramatic productions, no matter how scholars, this chordal interpolation marks serious the plot. Keenly aware of the almost “one of the most moving passages the obligatory “rescue nale,” Goethe injected a composer ever penned.” At the end of the sense of optimism at the conclusion of his play, Goethe’s stage directions call for a play. He added a nal scene in which the Siegessymphonie (Symphony of Victory) Goddess of Liberty appears in a vision to to be played, and Beethoven complied Egmont and foretells the ultimate freedom by writing a second coda marked allegro of the Flemish people. When Beethoven con brio (fast, with energy). Tonality moves was commissioned to write music for the from minor to major, and the atmosphere drama Egmont, Vienna was occupied by changes from one of oppression to victory Napoleon’s troops. The parallel between and triumph. There is entirely new Egmont’s struggle for freedom and that thematic material, and stirring trumpet calls of the Viennese is thus unmistakable. help project heroism somewhat akin to the Beethoven was undoubtedly inspired by nale of Symphony No. 5. the story of Egmont, especially the Count’s nal words to his countrymen: “Fight for Today Egmont Overture is part of the your hearths and homes and die joyfully— standard orchestral repertoire and as I do—to save what you hold most dear.” performed as an entity, not simply an page 52 ALL BEETHOVEN PROGRAM (continued) introduction to Goethe’s drama. Nothing piano is immediately repeated fortissimo is really lost, though, for the overture by the orchestra. As a keyboard virtuoso, vividly presents the essence of the it was only natural for the composer to dramatic con ict. exploit the expanded range of the newly improved piano. In the nale, one of the Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15 themes is divided between the bass and treble registers. This movement is full of Beethoven’s ve piano concertos are energy and boisterous humor, thanks to its landmarks in the concerto repertoire. scherzando tempo and sforzando accents, Although he had already written two in this which produce a brilliant, exuberant genre, Op. 15 was the rst to be published, quality that could have been provided only hence its designation as No. 1. The by Beethoven. composer wrote this work soon after his move to Vienna in 1792. Mozart had Beethoven’s harmonic treatment also sets already died and Haydn was often away in the work apart from earlier compositions. London, but these two great masters still The overall plan moves from C major to dominated the city’s musical life and A- at major and then back to the home in uenced Beethoven in his earliest pieces. key. There are numerous chromatic runs, ascending and descending, and a dreamy Like many 18th-century concertos, Op. 15 chromatic passage in the development follows a three-movement, fast-slow-fast section of movement one. The opening scheme, with typical formal structures and of the rst movement also contains an qualities. The opening movement is in unusual harmonic shift between themes— sonata form; the slow, lyrical middle C major for the rst melody and E- at major movement is ternary (ABA); while the nale for the second. Other notable examples is a jolly seven-part rondo (ABACABA). of harmonic boldness are found in the Within these traditional boundaries, various sections of the last movement. The however, are many features of originality orchestra appears in unison and moves and individuality. One immediate example chromatically upward, thus preparing for concerns the length of the composer’s rst the eventual return to the A section in the piano concerto. When compared to earlier home key. works, Op. 15 is rather extensive. In fact, it In Piano Concerto No. 1, Beethoven was is Beethoven’s longest orchestral attempting to impress the Viennese public composition before his rst symphony. with his prowess as both a pianist and a Another instance occurs in the opening composer. He wrote the piece for himself movement. Instead of presenting the and premiered it, possibly as early as 1795. themes rst in the orchestra, with the solo It was customary for performers to instrument repeating, Beethoven surprised improvise in concerts, and Beethoven his audience by assigning a new melody dazzled everyone with three impromptu to the solo instrument. Keenly aware that a passages in the opening movement. soft beginning easily attracts the audience’s However, years later he realized his attention, Beethoven opens Op. 15 with a increasing deafness would prevent him march-like theme, initially timid and from performing this work again. As a pianissimo, but soon reiterated loudly result, he wrote out three contrasting with vigor and con dence. The composer cadenzas for this concerto, presumably for relished placing extremely contrasting di erent occasions and audiences. dynamics next to each other, and he uses this technique again in the nal movement, where the soft theme in the

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Symphony No. 1 This movement is also large and powerful, full of incessant rhythms, sforzando accents, Beethoven’s nine symphonies form the core with quasi-developments and repetitions of of modern symphonic repertoire and have short gures. Beethoven abandons all in uenced practically all major composers pretense of Classic symmetry. The rst since they have been written. section divides into two parts—seven Symphony No. 1 is clearly modeled after measures in the rst and 71 measures in Haydn and Mozart. Like the older masters, the second. Beethoven follows the sonata principle The opening of the nale is a masterpiece and writes for four separate movements, of comedy. Following a loud chord that is with the third labeled “minuetto.” The held, violins try to play an ascending scale. instrumentation and slow introductions At rst they play only three notes and then of Beethoven’s work particularly recall the stop. After several attempts, each time works of Haydn, and there are thematic progressing one note further, they nally relationships between Symphony No. 1 succeed in presenting the complete scale, and Mozart’s Jupiter” Symphony. and this leads directly into the main theme. Despite these similarities, Beethoven’s Daniel Türk, a prominent conductor and individuality is apparent. Most earlier works contemporary of Beethoven, always in this genre use sonata form, along with omitted these introductory measures ABA and rondo structures, but Beethoven because he was afraid the audience would employs only sonata or quasi-sonata form for laugh. Unfortunately, he missed the whole all the movements, even the slow second one. point. Beethoven intended to be humorous. He also uses fugal writing in the second So relax and enjoy this movement because movement, and the codas are much more it’s just plain fun. It sparkles and is full of wit elaborate than those of his predecessors. and vitality.

It is in the area of harmony, though, where Symphony No. 1 was an immediate hit with Beethoven departs most strikingly. The the audience, with one critic describing it adagio chords at the opening of movement as “the most interesting public concert for a one are marked by harmonic ambiguity, long time.” with tonality rmly established only with the last chord of the introduction. The © Program notes by Dr. La Wanda J. Blakeney overall harmonic scheme is also somewhat unusual, with tonality moving from C major to F major and then back to the home key. In Beethoven’s 31 published works that precede this symphony, only seven use the subdominant for a slow movement within a major key context. In addition, there are remarkable passages of chromaticism, especially in the development section of the second movement and in the third movement. Although the Minuetto is in three-part form and triple meter, it resembles a Beethovenian scherzo rather than an 18th- century minuet. It’s very fast; in fact, the composer inscribed it allegro molto e vivace.

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