[Music score]
Bird-like twitterings and horn calls come from all directions, yet
how perfectly balanced it all is and what a marvel of development!
The scene by the brook with its drowsy re-iterated figure on the
under-current of divided strings is the very Bourdon ever sounding in
Nature herself.
[Music score]
Wagner has not forgotten this in his _Woodland Murmurs_. The dance of
the villagers, founded on the old country dances, is full of humorous
touches, the drowsy bassoon notes, the romp round, and into this almost
without warning, breaks the storm. A remarkably controlled storm it is,
too, free from any vulgarity. A lovely bit of blue sky showing at the
end, leads straight into the shepherd's song of thankfulness, which
although containing several interesting points, the triple pedal at the
opening with its horn yodel, etc., is somewhat lengthy and not very
interesting. Beethoven had once intended to introduce words and chorus
here, "Lord, we thank Thee," and it seems a pity that this idea was not
carried out.
7th SYMPHONY in A major, Opus 92.
Dedicated to Count Moritz von Fries.
_Poco sostenuto--Vivace--Allegretto--Scherzo--Finale._
This Symphony was completed in May, 1812, but was not performed until
December, 1813, at a Concert undertaken by Maelzel for the benefit
of the wounded soldiers at the Battle of Hanau, October 30th, which
Concert also contained Beethoven's _Battle Symphony_. In form, the
Symphony contains nothing unusual. In subject, it is full of romance
and colour from beginning to end.
Opening with a long introduction, which is almost a movement in
itself, this contains a strong marching figure, and runs into the
_Vivace_ by the means of a half cadence. The _Vivace_, a rhythmical
movement in 6-8 time, is full of a verve and vitality which seems to
reach its fullest power on the horns and wind instruments with their
tucketting rhythms.
[Music score]
The _Coda_ amounts to a second development, and the whole movement goes
with a splendid swing from beginning to end.
Rhythm but of another kind is also paramount in the elegiac
pageant-like movement designated _Allegretto_, but curiously enough
marked by Beethoven himself at 76, by Maelzel's newly-invented
metronome. It is a highly coloured pageant, seen through a veil of
mist, typified by the wonderful six-four chord on the wood-wind with
which it commences and concludes. The structure of the _Scherzo_ (here
marked _Presto_) has a strong relationship with its splendid fire and
strong duple time effects to that in the 6th Symphony. The romance of
the Trio with its wonderful low horn work is equally fine, and the
movement is broadened out to considerable length by the return of the
_Trio_ and of the _Presto_, thus making it a kind of Rondo--A, B, A, B,
A--to say nothing of the humorous juxta-position of the two near the
end.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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