After the first movement, we continue our analysis of Beethoven’s First Symphony with its second movement. This time we train our ears to listen to and distinguish different instruments alone and cooperating in some truly wonderful tunes.
The second movement is andante cantabile con moto (walking speed with motion) and also in sonata form. This movement is said to be inspired by Mozart’s G minor Symphony (K550) and the similarities are striking. Remember, in this age originality was not as important as it is today! Thus, many compositions were based on existing musical ideas, themes or were used as source of inspiration. Just as variations, a common genre, is based on an existing, well known musical theme, which is then varied into new pieces.
|Related: Musical theme and variations
Theme 1 starts with a fugato opening, violin, viola and winds instruments are leading in.
Let us listen to Mozart’s referred piece and find the similarities!
The movement continues with the second theme, which contains a fanfare-like sounding, very airy.
The coming development section changes the mood of the music. It starts with rising triads and then with the incoming distinctive tone of the oboes bring dramatic or rather melancholic tone. Listen to the nice little dialogue between the wind and string instruments towards the end of the clip!
In the recapitulation we hear theme 1 again decorated with countermelody. Observe how violin, viola and then winds are cooperating!
Finally, the coda arrives first with theme 1, with the oboes making contrary motion. After this cooperation the oboes take over the lead from the violins. The finale is very light-hearted, beautiful play of strings, the horns keep returning briefly, then the flute leads the final forte, which concludes the movement in a tutti.
Continue reading and listening to the third movement!
