92 Although BeethovenвЂ™s Seventh Symphony in A Major may not be quite as famous as his Fifth or Ninth, it recently starred in this yearвЂ™s OscarSimilar to the first symphony, the second symphony is among his least publicly performed symphonies. Read on to learn about this piece Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Symphony No. Our April 9-10 Season Finale includes BeethovenвЂ™s popular Symphony No.

Back in the compositionвЂ™s original key of Bв™ Major, classical era idioms combined with Beethovenian drama are at the forefront.The next symphony on this list, however, is one of his most beloved works.At least one of the five final symphonies on this list is annually programmed by every orchestra globally, and the 5th is no exception. If a composition could be described as вЂњtempestuously happy,вЂќ then this one would be it. Although it does not have the turmoil of his later music, it is a lovely rondo in Eв™ major that could standalone in any concert hall setting.The final movement is perhaps the crowning achievement of this piece. As Leonard Bernstein best said, an ominous beginning вЂњ tiptoesвЂќ through different modes, refusing to settle until it finally relents to a joyous Bв™ Major.The second movement is a delightful вЂњhidden gemвЂќ in BeethovenвЂ™s repertoire. By the final variation, the image of a full вЂњEroica,вЂќ or вЂњheroicвЂќ character, takes place before the impulsive coda of a finale.Composed in 1806 during BeethovenвЂ™s вЂњMiddle Period,вЂќ this symphony is mostly joyous, frequently overshadowed by his later, more dramatic and darker symphonies.However, the introduction to the Bв™ Major Symphony is one of the most memorable parts of the composition, a foreshadowing of his later style. Several proper funeral marches have used this music in the background.Beethoven scholar Lewis Lockwood described the second movementвЂ™s conclusion best, remarking it вЂњcrumbles into short phrases interspersed with silences.вЂќThe final movement is a dramatic and stormy theme and variations, occasionally harkening back to the opening movementвЂ™s main melody.

For example, the opening is an arrival into the country. Halfway through the fourth movement, the music subverts, referencing the opening movement in a sly, unexpected way.The opening of the 6th could not be as different as the opening of the 5th.While the 5th is legendary for its thunderous, ominous, and repetitive four-note motif, the 6th opens with a lovely melody from the countryside.Such is the feeling the music evokes, so it is dubbed the вЂњPastoralвЂќ Symphony.Beethoven himself was a lover of nature, spending hundreds of hours throughout his life ambling through countryside fields and preserves.The Pastoral Symphony is BeethovenвЂ™s only programmatic symphony, meaning it is instrumental music intentionally designed to portray a non-musical story or narrative.Each movement portrays a different landscape. 3, the 5th one is called the вЂњFateвЂќ symphony.Although not as well-known as the opening, the final movement of the work feels like a classic struggle between the вЂњgoodвЂќ and вЂњevilвЂќ of BeethovenвЂ™s inner self. 6 and the вЂњEroicaвЂќ Symphony No. They are so famous, just reading вЂњdun-dun-dun-DUNNNвЂќ will awaken the opening motif from the not-so-deep recesses of our musical minds.This opening motive alone has appeared everywhere in music as varied as disco and rock nвЂ™ roll, in film and television, and throughout popular culture.While the opening movement is the most well-known, the fourth movement is unique for a few reasons.Did you know BeethovenвЂ™s fifth symphony has a nickname? Like the вЂњPastoralвЂќ Symphony No.

The workвЂ™s final movement is its crowning achievement, an airy and swift orchestral crowd pleaser.It may not be his most profound symphony however, it may just be his very best вЂњeven-numberedвЂќ one.What can be said of the 9th symphony that has never been written before? The вЂњChoralвЂќ symphony was simply groundbreaking.Many consider it BeethovenвЂ™s most significant work. The 8th is a retreat to his more вЂњclassical eraвЂќ style cemented in his earlier works.The 8th is lighthearted and cheerfully loud, abundant with accents garnished with booming timpanis. After writing the 7th symphony, which travels between the supreme melancholy of its second movement and friendly rambuctiousness of the finale, Beethoven likely wanted to compose something more conservative, comfortable, and predictable.Such is the story of the 8th symphony, frequently and, ironically, referred to as the вЂњClassicalвЂќ symphony.Why does it have this name? ArenвЂ™t all of BeethovenвЂ™s symphonies вЂњclassicalвЂќ symphonies?By the 7th symphony, Beethoven more-or-less launched the Romantic era of music, a period characterized by greater chromaticism and expression in composition. The third illustrates folk dancing through its Вѕ time signature, and the second is that of still water.While the work may not be as dramatic as his greatest symphonies, many classic Beethoven melodies came into existence in the Pastoral Symphony.BeethovenвЂ™s 8th has a special place in his repertoire while it is similar to his early work, it does feel out of place between the 7th and 9th symphony.Some musicians jokingly say BeethovenвЂ™s greatest symphonies are the odd-numbered symphonies, referencing 3, 5, 7, and 9.While itвЂ™s easy to agree, I think the even-numbered symphonies are simply misunderstood, and the 8th is an excellent example of it.As a composer, Beethoven did not want to write the same piece twice.

Its place in history is unmatched. This practice became more commonplace throughout the Romantic period and beyond.If Beethoven wrote no other piece, he would still be immortal for his 9th symphony. The final result is a melody as cherished by classical musicвЂ™s elite as it is by the mass musical audience.Like much of BeethovenвЂ™s later work, the composition is cyclical вЂ“ ideas that show up in one movement come back later throughout the piece.

Beethoven 7Th Symphony Nickname