January 26 Program Notes: Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven interlaces his gender-based metaphor that is the engine of Beethoven’s heroic Like the aspiring artist Walther von (1770-1827) with allusions to two separate style. That interpretation, however, Stolzing, who wins the song contest in paganisms—Greek antiquity versus overlooks the Fourth’s own astonishing Wagner’s Die Meistersinger, Beethoven Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Nordic myth—and uses the latter to originality. Beethoven’s ways of synthesized spontaneity and craft, major, Op. 60 account both for the epic energy of the achieving innovation here may be less innovation and tradition, fantasy and obviously aggressive than what we form. Born on December 16, 1770, in Bonn; died Third Symphony (Eroica) and for the condensed drama of the Fifth. encounter, say, in the Eroica—but that on March 26, 1827, in Vienna. Beethoven Consider the long Adagio opening. does not make them any less robust. composed his Fourth Symphony in 1806, Colorful as this is—and once On the surface, this marks a return to during an intensely fertile creative period entertained, it is hard to forget—the The instrumentation, for example, the use of a slow introduction, which during which he also sketched out ideas Fourth-as-Greek-maiden image has is more transparent in the Fourth Beethoven had employed in his first for the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies. He helped reinforce an unfortunate (which calls for a single flute) than in two symphonies—and, by extension, dedicated the work to the Silesian Count either/or dichotomy as to the value of its neighbors; yet this “neoclassical” a return to what for contemporary Franz von Oppersdorff, an admirer of his Beethoven’s symphonies. A bias has aspect of its sound world allows for audiences was the obvious model Second Symphony. resulted that tends to favor the works startling effects of contrast between of Haydn’s London Symphonies First performance: March 1807, in a private perceived as radical, trail-blazing, or solo passages and full-on unison (particularly the Symphony No. 102, concert sponsored by one of Beethoven’s “Promethean” (the odd-numbered outbursts. In the Fourth Symphony, also in B-flat major). But Beethoven Vienna patrons; the Fourth Piano Concerto symphonies) over those often assumed Beethoven transforms the expressive elaborates his slow introduction (performed on December’s Berkeley to be more conservative or even language articulated by his models— into an arresting drama of sustained Symphony concert) was also introduced reactionary (especially the Second, Haydn above all. suspense and mystery. His Ninth Fourth, and Eighth, whose reputation Symphony would later establish a on this occasion. The Fourth is scored for That such transformations are with the general public indeed new paradigm for the mysterious 1 flute, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 contained within a relatively remains overshadowed by that of their beginning-out-of-chaos, in which horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, and strings. conservative framework only enhances companions). musical forms are heard to come into Duration: approximately 35 minutes. their delightful subtlety. It would be being. Still, this earlier example of Yet, as Schumann himself so misguided to approach the Fourth a kind of sonic groping toward the well-known instance of gender perceptively articulated in his writings Symphony as a “lighter” or less- light is impressive on it its own terms. stereotypes from the music on his predecessor, Beethoven challenging work. (From the orchestral A (Mahler aficionados will notice that he criticism of the past can be found was tirelessly driven by the search players’ perspective, parts of this found obvious inspiration here for the in Robert Schumann’s attempt to for new and different solutions to score might well rank among the most start of his First Symphony.) explicate the unique aura of Ludwig compositional challenges. And that technically difficult in all Beethoven.) van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4. drive shouldn’t be predicated on The Fourth is a symphony for genuine The dark harmonies of this Adagio Just what is it that differentiates the another stereotype: Beethoven as Beethoven connoisseurs. It’s also cast a shadow—this enhances the Fourth from the two far-more-famous the feisty rule-breaker. According to a reminder that the composer’s introduction’s sense of suspense—that powerhouse symphonies that frame this stereotype, the Fourth Symphony unparalleled symphonic achievement intensifies the unequivocal blaze of it? Schumann characterized the Fourth enacts a return to more-familiar did not unfold as a rejection of the past: B-flat major with which the Allegro as “a slender Greek maiden between classical patterns, representing a these works were forged in an ongoing vivace is launched. That thrilling sense two Norse giants.” It’s curious that he “relaxation” of the dramatic tension dialogue with inherited traditions. of release (so early in the symphony!)

January 26, 2017 January 26, 2017 anticipates the triumphant outburst symphony with a similarly prolonged of C major in the Fifth Symphony’s slow introduction. The Adagio, for finale, as the British composer and example, exploits a mechanically musicologist Robert Simpson pointed repetitive rhythmic idea (tonic against out in his classic, elegant survey of all dominant), which is counterpointed the Beethoven symphonies. Simpson against one of the loveliest melodies investigated how the Fourth, Fifth, Beethoven ever conceived—a and Sixth in fact all share this feature descending scale spun with Handelian of a dramatic transformation from grace. Designed as a rondo, this Adagio darkness to light; in the Fifth and Sixth is later invaded by lingering memories Symphonies, Beethoven uses it to link of the shadowy introduction. Its the two final movements. flowing embellishments meanwhile anticipate the flavor we later Simpson suggested that this passage at the beginning of the Fourth encounter in the brookside scene from represents the composer’s earlier the Sixth (“Pastoral”) Symphony. attempt to work out a solution as Beethoven’s use of syncopation, to how to stage such a moment of dynamic contrast, and harmonic illumination. This helps explain why surprise (hints again of the slow routine depictions of the Fourth as introduction’s darkened tonality) make merely “cheerful” and “sunny” feel for a characteristically rambunctious so inadequate. “The music emerges scherzo. The regularity of meter in the from an impenetrable blackness,” central trio, which Beethoven asks according to Simpson, “into gleaming to be played twice, has an effect of sunlight whose vividness is thereafter comic naïvete, serving as a foil to the constantly preserved by passing tricksterish rhythms of the scherzo patches of cloud.” The Fourth, it turns itself. out, does contain “as much drama as the heroics of the Third and Fifth In the finale, which is based on a symphonies, albeit of a more elusive churning, perpetual-motion theme, kind.” Beethoven pays overt homage to Haydn. Beethovenian humor, though, That drama certainly comes to the fore becomes nearly unbridled, a far cry in Beethoven’s exciting manipulation from the delicately “feminine” charms of contrasts of volume and texture. posited by Schumann’s classical Listen for his masterful stretching Greek maiden. Instead, the Fourth out of the crescendo (in which the encompasses yin and yang, shadow timpanist plays a leading role) in and light—all delightfully capped by a the build-up to the recapitulation. final, resounding joke. Each movement, moreover, has a striking rhythmic character that is —© Thomas May used in dramatic ways. In this regard, Thomas May writes about the arts the Fourth also looks ahead to the for a variety of international publications Seventh—Beethoven’s only later and blogs at memeteria.com.

January 26, 2017 January 26, 2017