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Home , Lichnowsky, Symphony

Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60

Ludwig van Beethoven

iewing ’s Fourth in his patron to . There Vthe context of his corpus of nine sym - they paid a visit to Franz von Oppers - phonies, listeners may be tempted to focus dorf, who maintained a small private or- on what the piece is not rather than on what ches tra at his castle. Oppersdorf was so it is. What it is not, most immediately, is his enthusiastic about that he required Third ( Eroica ) or Fifth Symphony, everyone on his staff to play an instrument, those two punch-packing exercises in super - and he was delighted to entertain Lichnowsky human grandeur and titanic power. Robert and Beethoven by having his musicians per - Schumann captured the Fourth’s relation - form the ’s Second Symphony. ship to its neighbors when he called it “a slen - Musicological opinion used to hold that der Grecian maiden between two Nordic the count commissioned a new symphony giants.” viewed it as a return and Beethoven leapt at the chance. Practi - to an earlier sound-world. He wrote: cality dictated that Beethoven had to set aside work on his Fifth Symphony, already in Here, Beethoven entirely abandons ode and progress, long enough to complete the elegy, in order to return to the less elevated Fourth, which he dedicated to Count Op - and less somber, but not less difficult, style persdorf. In return, he received 500 florins, a of the Second Symphony. The general char - acter of this score is either lively, alert, and IN SHORT gay or of a celestial sweetness. Born: probably on December 16, 1770 (he was This symphony, then, reflects the Apollonian baptized on the 17th), in Bonn, Germany side of a composer whose Dionysian aspect Died: March 26, 1827, in Vienna, Austria may enjoy broader popularity. Work composed: summer and early autumn Even if a certain Classicism reigns over of 1806; dedicated to Count Franz von Beethoven’s Fourth, the work brims with ath - Oppersdorf, who purchased certain rights letic vigor and admits both contemplative ru - to the early performance of this symphony if mination and puckish humor. It reveals itself he did not literally commission it. It may have as a descendent of Haydn’s symphonies in cer - been played by the count’s in Oberglogau, Silesia, prior to the March 1807 tain respects, while at the same time it looks concert in Vienna, but there are no records forward to the Fifth Symphony in some of its to prove it. compact compositional processes. Actually, one could say that it looks sideways to the Fifth, World premiere: in March 1807, with the com - poser leading a private performance in the since the Fifth was begun before the Fourth. Vienna home of Prince Franz Joseph von Beethoven was pressed for cash when he Lobkowitz wrote his Fourth Symphony, trying to cover his own expenses as well as debts piled up by New York Philharmonic premiere: Novem - ber 24, 1849, Theodore Eisfeld, conductor his relatives. Although he was accustomed to renting modest residences outside Vienna in Most recent New York Philharmonic which to spend his summers, he decided to performance: Decemer 12, 2015, James forego that pleasure in 1806. He did get away Gaffigan, conductor at the end of summer, though, heading with Estimated duration: ca. 32 minutes

30 | NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC respectable fee for such a commission. But a four notes.” This leads to a rapidly ascending careful examination of surviving documents scale figure that cuts through the darkness suggests instead that Beethoven had this and breaks apart into ever smaller fragments, piece essentially finished before he left on not unlike a firework explosion disintegrat - the trip, and that he wrote it simply because ing into sparkling shards. Suddenly, it seems he wanted to rather than as “work for hire.” that the orchestra has embarked on what will The Fourth Symphony seems to have be a thoroughly playful fast movement. The given its composer rather little trouble. Few second movement also recalls Haydn preliminary sketches exist, and those that do through a recurrent rhythmic pattern, along give no evidence of the agonizing experi - the lines of the accompanying figures that mentation and reworking that often scream pop up in that composer’s Philosopher and forth from Beethoven’s drafts. Following in Clock Symphonies. In the third movement, the steps of his teacher Haydn, Beethoven Beethoven has replaced the classical launches his Fourth Symphony with a with the high energy of a filled with hushed, introspective introduction, har - cross-rhythms; and the finale is a boisterous monically evasive but emphasizing the outpouring of good spirits that at places minor mode. As distinguished a listener as reaches a point of hilarity. reviled it for not pos - sessing enough notes to fill up the space it Instrumentation: , two , two occupied. “Every quarter of an hour,” he , two , two horns, two trum - complained sarcastically, “we hear three or pets, , and strings.

Listen for … the Joke

Beethoven’s gruff sense of humor comes to the fore in the finale of the Fourth Symphony, which in - cludes a passage that is sometimes referred to as “The Great Bassoon Joke.” The scurrying open - ing theme announces the perpetual-motion character that will pervade the movement, and the development section keeps listeners on the edge of their seats, wondering where everything is head - ing. Where it’s heading is where development sections always head: to the recapitulation, the point where the movement’s main theme is expected to return to launch its concluding argument. But once there, the theme is stated not by the full orchestra but rather by a single bassoon, chortling a bit bumptiously (although marked dolce ) through the flurry of rapid-fire 16th notes.

The orchestra swoops in to pick up the tune, and nearly makes it to the movement’s end before threatening to break down in exhaustion. A few instruments manage to puff out the theme pianissimo at half its — and then, with a final surge of energy and a few boisterous chords, Beethoven’s Fourth buoyantly crosses the finish line.

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