Beethoven 6 Flashcards
Overview
Programmatic music: to represent a walk through the countryside, a storm and a song of thanksgiving.
Form
5 movements all named to represent moments in a story.
Mvt 1: Overview
Gentle and pastoral tone, sonata form and V and I pedals to solidify tonality.
Mvt 1: Expo
Mvt 1: Dev
Mvt 1: Recap
Mvt 2
Sonata form. Siciliana; ‘Scene by the Brook’, rippling semiquavers, 3rd theme in bassoon, woodwind birdsong - flute/nightingale, oboe/quail and clarinet/cuckoo
Mvt 3
Merry Gathering of The Country People’. Scherzo (3/4) and Trio (2/4). 2 bar contrasting themes, rustic peasant dance of Trio (strangely played twice) with syncopated oboe finishing in C major with unexpected Db.
Mvt 4
The Storm’. No clear structure, diminished chords, complex rhythms for swirling rain, high woodwind for lightning and timpani rolls for thunder.
Mvt 5
Happy, grateful feelings after the storm’. Sonata rondo form.
Orchestra
Innovative effects used to represent storm including tremolo in strings. Similar orchestration to Symphony 5 but different use.
Harmony & Tonality
Diminished chords in Mvt 4 (Storm), V-I pedals used in Mvt 1 for folk feel.
Humour, drama, narrative & programme
All movements contribute to jouney through countryside. Woodwind represent birdsong in Mvt 1, orchestral effects represent storm of Mvt 4.
Melody and theme
Clear diatonic melody for all movements apart from 4: The Storm - more dissonant, irregular phrasing and angular.
Texture
Mel. dom. hom. for opening movement, clear textures especially in movement 3 (dance) but with more polyphonic/contrapuntal textures for the storm (movement 4).
Rhythm/Tempo/Metre
Basic rhythms and drones of Mvt 1, complex rhythms of Mvt 4 to represent storm and changing time signatures in Mvt 3.
Dance, folk & national
Rustic feel to Trio in Movement 3. Simple folk like melodies in Mvts 1 and 4 over drones and pedals too.
Patronage
Prince Lobkowitz and Count Razumovsky
Key info
Beethoven 6 1808 F major
