DO NOT COPY THIS AND TURN IT IN AS YOUR OWN WORK.THAT IS PLAGIARISM.PLAGIARISM IS BAD.Beethoven Symphony 1 Mvt. IThe first movement of Beethovens 1st Symphony starts with a delicately maneuvered introduction. The mm. 1-3 consist of a series of half-note cadences, none of which include the tonic. This, along with a lack of clearly defined meter, fosters an element of suspense, as no identifiable theme or melody has been introduced. It is of note that the winds carry the chord while the strings support with pizzicato during these measures. The strings typically carry melodies (especially during the time period); Beethoven may have given them to the winds so that a listener accustomed to symphonic music would immediately be interested by the difference from the usual textures presented, including the use of ambiguous tonality. After a 2-bar cadence the tonic (C) is introduced in m. 6, but there are still F# and B neighbor tones in the moving parts, which lead the ear to the dominant. This adds further suspense by unsettling the stability of the preceding longer cadence on tonic. The rest of the introduction meanders through the tonic, dominant, and a few other closely related chords. The focus on cadential material during the introduction foreshadows the rest of the movements use of dominant and tonic chords to lead the melodies through tension and resolution, rather than solely as a means to end a phrase or section. The build to a cadence at the end of the introduction is then relieved by the start exposition.The first theme is prepared by an ascending G major scale in the strings, then abruptly introduced by a C major scale descending from the G. This can be seen as definitively establishing the tonal center due to its clear cadential nature, as well as the change in instrumentation (no winds for the first few bars of the theme). The first motif (figure 2, m. 12) appears in tonic, then supertonic, then is elongated when placed in the dominant (mm. 25-30). Each presentation of this motif is interceded by the winds with whole note cadences that lead to the next iteration (mm. 17-18); the relative lack of motion during such parts creates an intermittent feeling of suspense, as if to include toned-down elements of the introduction. Following the bold proclamation of the first motif, a series of simple, bright and almost Haydn-esque melodies occurs in the strings and is imitated by the winds; this configuration extends through the final large half-cadence at the end of the first theme.The first major modulation occurs at the second half of the exposition. The V-I-V-I-V etc. progression during mm. 45-52 at first may appear to be heavily tonicizing the tonic, which would be heavily redundant. Theme 2, however, starts after a half-cadence on G with a leap from D to G in the oboe, which has the effect of definitively tonicizing the dominant (G), which in this case is used to modulate entirely. The second theme (figure 3) is then introduced by the winds with light imitation between the oboe and flute. The satisfyingly predictable scalar nature of this theme contrasts with the explosive leaps of the first, and has a calming effect on the listener. This is aided by the immediate reduction of instrumentation, consisting initially of only 1 major wind and string figure at a time; brass is entirely absent and low strings have minimal parts. It is essential to note Beethovens use of material from the fourth bar of the first theme in the accompaniment. The quarter note arpeggios are imitated between either 1st and 2nd violins or bassoon and clarinet, which demonstrates his willingness to develop material within the exposition, unifying the two themes. Mm. 57, 58 and 60 include sforzando accents on beat 2 in the winds and beat 3 in the strings; this syncopation and the prevalence of imitation add to the playful mood of this segment. After the initial presentation of the second theme, it repeats with strings leading the melody. The syncopated sforzandos then return, but this time on beat 3 in the winds and beat 4 in the strings. Measures 69-75 provide great dynamic contrast for this section; the heightened volume is further and rhythmically intensified by the first use of sixteenth notes since the presentation of the second theme.The instrumentation is yet again reduced in an abrupt fashion at m. 77, which is accompanied with a modulation to G minor. The low strings are then taken to task, repeating the second theme without any imitative input, this time beneath a sequence following the circle of fifths through g, c, F, and arriving at Bb. This appears as a way to recast the preceding material in a more mellow and even somber tone. An oboe holds an F over two bars which functions as the tonic (F) and dominant (Bb) tones, then descending to play quarter notes like the rest of the strings, adding a touch of brightness to the sound texture. Instead of the harmony resolving from Cmin7 to F to Bb, a dramatic twist is involved: the ii7-V deceptive cadence resolves to D (m. 82), which induces half-step motion in the bass to the leading tone of the relative minor (F to F#). The resolution to root-position G minor causes more half-step motion (F# to G). These chords and their inversions allow the double reeds to repeat the oboe figure a minor third down, holding a D through the D and the G minor. Measure 88 sees a paraphrasing of the first theme as a period of stability between prolonged harmonic tension, allowing the end of the exposition to calmly build to a half-cadence in C.The development immediately declares a focus on the use of previous motives, as well as the use of tonality as an element of surprise. The half cadence ending the previous section (G7) resolves to an A major chord, which is not closely related to C. This marks a clear departure from the sound of the exposition in that the tonality is not only used as a vehicle for melody or motion, but rather is treated as an element on its ownin this case, it is used to surprise the listener. The second and third bars of the first theme is then presented as 1st violin soli between tutti sections that are modeled after the fifth and sixth bars of the second theme (figure 4); the harmonic progression takes a more predictable turn with a sequence proceeding through the circle of fifths to land in C minor. The harmony continues through a sequence of fifths landing in Eb major (mm. 119-132); this time, however, the melody is borrowed from the ascending quarter-note arpeggio accompaniment to the second theme.Beethoven uses the transitional cadence that originally appeared between the first and second themes in a mostly unchanged state (this time Bb7 resolving to Eb, mm. 135-142), which marks the first time in the development section that a tonal center is used for more than four bars. The combination of more static harmonies with material easily recognizable as originating from the exposition allows for a feeling of relative stability when compared to the sequences that dominate the first half of this section of the form. This only lasts through measure 146, when what at first appeared to be a strong resolution to Eb devolves into yet another sequence, this time moving upward by a major second each iteration. What was at first adventurous and interesting now becomes repetitive (and dare I say it, trite) and serves only to move along the section through another melody, again quoting the dotted rhythm of the main theme, but this time twice to a bar. At the end of the sequence (m. 159), the dotted rhythm is utilized to propel the strings through eighth note runs in the dominant (E); this alternates with the winds playing a simple melody in A minor, until eventually the winds take over the melody entirely. These are both over an E pedal which causes this final section of the development to function as one big second inversion cadence. The winds alone hold an E for two bars before moving to an F and arpeggiating a G7 downward in whole notes, which leads directly into the recapitulation. While not exactly startling, the use of monophony during mm. 171-176 allows a cadence that is not closely related to the immediately preceding material to sound ordinary.The recapitulation blasts off with a strikingly powerful unison on the first theme in tonic (C). The woodwinds soli during the whole note cadences, making the contrast even more dramatic than in the exposition. The theme is only presented in two keys before the descending 16th note run is sequenced through the circle of fifths. The first theme is significantly shorter than in the exposition (27 bars as opposed to 40), likely because the material had already been exposited and developed, so nothing new needed to be presented. The second theme, starting in measure 205, is placed in C, as a modulation from such a short first theme would not provide the kind of stability necessary for the feeling of finality often desired in a recapitulation. The imitation is shared (rather than divided) between the strings and winds and gives a slightly different sound than in the exposition, although this may not be noticeable unless heard live in a concert hall. The coda, starting in measure 264, quickly quotes the beginning of the development section before arriving back in C and ending with a typically grand Beethoven ending cadence, full of punchy hits and tonic and dominant arpeggios.The first movement of Beethovens 1st symphony makes extensive use of tonic and dominant sonorities to provide both expected and unexpected points of tension. The themes are focused more around their tonality rather than melodic lines, as evidenced by the use of melodic fragments throughout all sections. While not harmonically adventurous, this movement provides a stable beginning to a symphony, and makes great use of form as a framework for harmonic development of easily identifiable motifs.

AppendixMm.MaterialKey

1-12Introduction

13-53Theme 1C

53-108Theme 2G/g/G

109-176DevelopmentEb/a

177-204Theme 1C

205-259Theme 2C/c

260-endCodaC

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

Figure 3.

Figure 4.