Beethoven Eroica Flashcards
How many movements are in the symphony?
Standard 4 movements
What is the key of the 1st movement?
Eb major
What is unique about the length of the symphony compared to previous symphonies?
Double the length of most previous symphonies - about 45-50 mins
What replaces the minuet and trio in the 3rd movement?
Energetic Scherzo
What form does the 1st movement follow?
Sonata form
What occurs in the development section of the 1st movement?
Explores minor keys and includes a new theme in Em
How does the recapitulation in the 1st movement challenge expectations?
Horns play the first two bars of the 1st subject apparently four bars early
What characterizes the coda of the 1st movement?
Very long and doesn’t initially reinforce the tonic key
What is the key of the 2nd movement?
Relative minor (Cm)
How long is the 2nd movement compared to standard movements?
14-18 mins
What does the 2nd movement portray?
A funeral procession and expressions of grief
What is the form of the 3rd movement?
Ternary form
What is a notable feature of the 4th movement?
Theme and variations
What begins the 4th movement before the theme and variations?
An initial flourish/call to attention
What is the tonality of the 1st, 3rd, and 4th movements?
Tonic key (Eb major)
What is a key feature of Beethoven’s harmonic exploration?
Extensive exploration of distant keys
How does Beethoven use dissonance in the symphony?
Prolongs dissonances to create tension
What is a striking feature of the 2nd movement?
Slow, funereal Cm with moments of major brightness
What texture is primarily used in the symphony?
Much MDH (melody-dominated homophony)
What is the significance of counterpoint in the 2nd movement?
Extensive Fugue
How are melodies constructed in this symphony?
From short motifs which then develop
What is unusual about the time signature of the 1st movement?
It is in 3/4
What dynamic range does the symphony exploit?
Full dynamic range of the orchestra
What instrumentation is notable in the symphony?
Use of 3 horns
Does the symphony have a programmatic intent?
No explicit program but titled ‘Heroic’ symphony
What does the 1st movement suggest in terms of programmatic intent?
Dramatic and turbulent music which struggles to reach the tonic
Fill in the blank: The 2nd movement is most programmatic as it suggests a _______.
Funeral march
True or False: The 4th movement ends with a celebratory flourish.
True
How did the structure of the symphony change from 1750 to 1900?
a) The length of it was double previous ones - 45 minutes rather than 20 minutes.
b) The 3rd movement started straying from the typical “minuet and trio” (Eroica’s third movement is a scherzo)
How did the role and nature of 1st movements change from 1750 to 1900?
a) It includes an extensive development section that explores minor and tonally distant keys, which it did not do previously in time.
b) Codas are long and don’t do what they had done previously - enforce the tonic key.
How has the role and nature of 2nd movements changed from 1750 to 1900?
a) Less often in the subdominant - can be in the relative minor more often
b) Longer than standard 2nd movements
How has the role and nature of 3rd movements changed from 1750-1900?
a) Scherzo rather than minuet and trio
b) Allegro vivace rather than elegant
How has the role and nature of finales changed from 1750 to 1900?
a) Starts out with bare bones of theme (does not sound like a melody), which is unusual as usually starts full and tutti
How have composers’ approach to tonality and harmony changed from 1750 to 1900?
In later symphonies, composers often can base more on a sense of stability and disturbance rather than staying predictable and pleasant.
There is also use of dissonance, but prolonged rather than just touched on like previously.
How have composers’ use of texture changed from 1750 to 1900?
a) More fugues than previously
b) MDH was the main use in early symphonies, but then counterpoint was used more in later symphonies
How has melody and melodic development in the symphony evolved from 1750 to 1900?
a) Melodies constructed from short motifs which then develop
b) In later symphonies, the melody is not always played by violin, and other instruments (eg cellos) get melody more than before
How have composers treated rhythm and metre in the symphony from 1750 to 1900?
Use of hemiola and rhythm disruption is used
How has the development of the orchestra impacted symphonic composers?
More instruments meant composers could exploit the full dynamic range. Having more of each instrument (eg horns) also meant more harmonically complex music could be written.
