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MODULE DMU1255 Special Topics (Beethoven)

Assignment Analysis

Date due 30 April 2020

Content

Selected work and movement: Beethoven’s Symphony no. 3, first movement

References (APA 7th Edition)

INS Scholarship 1998: The Eroica Riddle: Did Napoleon Remain Beethoven's "Hero?". (n.d.). Retrieved April 30,
2020, from https://www.napoleon-series.org/ins/scholarship98/c_eroica.html#1
Earp, L. (n.d.). Tovey's Cloud in the First Movement of the Eroica: An Analysis Based on Sketches for the
Development and Coda, 1–31.
Swinkin, J. (2013). The Middle Style/Late Style Dialectic. The Journal of Musicology, 30(3), 287–329. doi:
10.1525/jm.2013.30.3.287
Thayer, A. W., Forbes, E., Deiters, H., Riemann, H., & Krehbiel, H. E. (1970). Thayers life of Beethoven.
Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Lecture on Beethoven's "Eroica" Symphony. (2018, February 4). Retrieved April 30, 2020, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHDtVCfs8qU
Symphony No.3, Op.55 (Beethoven, Ludwig van). (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2020, from
https://imslp.org/wiki/Symphony_No.3,_Op.55_(Beethoven,_Ludwig_van)

I declare that the enclosed work is entirely my own except where due acknowledgement of
sources is made. I have not worked collaboratively or copied from another student’s work
except where group activity has been authorised by the lecturer concerned. This assignment
has not been submitted for any other module or course at any other institution. I have kept a
copy of this assignment.

Student Email: F19MU0148@student.nafa.edu.sg Submission date: 30/04/2020

12
Beethoven originally wrote the 3rd Symphony in dedication to Napoleon. He believed that Napoleon
dedicated his life to democratic and anti-monarchical ideas. However, he withdrew his dedication of
the 3rd symphony as he did not want to lose the composer’s fee paid by a noble patron and the fact
that Napoleon declared himself King.

The 3rd Symphony is structured in Sonata form; with a use of Codetta and Coda. The following table
shows the changes in Key
3
Structure names Bar Numbers No. of Bars Keys
Exposition 1st Subject 1 - 44 43 Eflat major - F major
Transition 45 - 82 37 F major - c minor - g minor -
Eflat major - Bfllat major
2nd Subject 83 - 108 20 Bflat major
Codetta 108 - 151 43 Bflat major - Aflat minor
Development 156 - 303 147 aflat minor - C major - G major - c minor
- a minor - C major
Retransition 304 - 401 97 C major - c minor - Eflat major
Recapitulation 1st Subject 402 - 451 49 Eflat major - C major - F major - Dflat
major - Bflat major
Transition 452 - 489 30 Bflat major - Eflat major
2nd Subject 490 - 515 25 Eflat major
Coda 516 - 695 179 Eflat major - Bflat major - Eflat major

One unique thing with the harmony is in the Recapitulation 1 st subject, where the harmony instead
of going to F major as seen in the exposition, went from Eflat major to Cmajor to F major to Dflat
major then to Bflat major. This could be Beethoven’s attempt to prepare to end the movement with
a perfect cadence.

Beethoven changed the keys rapidly to keep the motives fresh for the audience. Furthermore, he
uses multiple themes with different keys to keep the music flowing. The following photo
demonstrates that.

1
INS Scholarship 1998: The Eroica Riddle: Did Napoleon Remain Beethoven's "Hero?". (n.d.). Retrieved April
30, 2020, from https://www.napoleon-series.org/ins/scholarship98/c_eroica.html#1
2
Earp, L. (n.d.). Tovey's Cloud in the First Movement of the Eroica: An Analysis Based on Sketches for the
Development and Coda, 1–31.
3
Symphony No.3, Op.55 (Beethoven, Ludwig van). (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2020, from
https://imslp.org/wiki/Symphony_No.3,_Op.55_(Beethoven,_Ludwig_van)
 The oboes start a new theme in e minor at bar 288, following that it transitions to a key of a minor
on bar 296, played by the flutes, at the end of the flutes new motive, the oboe brings back the 1 st
subject in the key of C major. As the minor of C major is a minor, Beethoven relies on key changes
that correspond with each other and Major-minor relationships to keep the music fresh for the
listener.
4
In the 3rd Symphony, Beethoven writes 2 subjects and 6 other motives. Beethoven’s writing during
this period of time usually relies on the most “most basic or essential musical elements” and are
sometimes “purely rhythmic”. In the coda, he uses the Main subject and a theme concurrently to
end the piece in a heroic mood.

The following table states the subjects and themes along with the bars.

S/N Example Bars

Subject 1 3 -7
13 -22
37 – 43
132 -142
148 – 151
182 – 189
304 – 325
342 – 381
398 – 399
412 – 451
539 -592
551 -580
607 - 667
Subject 2 83 - 94
236 -240
490 - 501

4
Swinkin, J. (2013). The Middle Style/Late Style Dialectic. The Journal of Musicology, 30(3), 287–329. doi:
10.1525/jm.2013.30.3.287
Motif 1 24 – 34
124 -131
251 - 283

Motif 2 45 -56
109 - 116
170 – 182
198 – 199
210 – 222
224 – 233
240 – 243
452 – 462
516 – 525
Motif 3 57 – 60
504 -507
677 – 684

Motif 4 61 -83
117 – 122
190 – 197
201 – 210
472 – 489
524 – 529
635 - 668
Motif 5 225 - 228
230 – 232
238 - 240

Motif 65 288 – 303

326 -339
585 - 599

Subject 1 and Motif 4 are appegiatic in nature, subject 2 is a Fugue, Motif’s 3 and 5 are scalic in
nature in general, while Motif 6 and 1 have similar themes’ with the difference being that motif 1 is a
call and response over the same rhythmic motif while motif 6 develops the idea further. Motif 2 is
unique as it has repeated notes with emphasis placed on weaker beats.
6
One thing to note, is that when Beethoven wrote this symphony, he wrote it from the 4 th
movement, hence the 1st subject in the 1st movement is a variation of a theme in the 4th movement.

The textual aspect of this movement based on the use of Motifs, instrumentation and dynamics.

5
Thayer, A. W., Forbes, E., Deiters, H., Riemann, H., & Krehbiel, H. E. (1970). Thayers life of Beethoven.
Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
6
Lecture on Beethoven's "Eroica" Symphony. (2018, February 4). Retrieved April 30, 2020, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHDtVCfs8qU
Subject 1 and Motif 4 are used in many different areas and are used to produce both thin sounding
textures (i.e 3-7, 117 – 122) and thick, heavier textures (i.e 659- 663). At the end of the 1 st
movement, the combination of both subject 1 and Motif 4 are used to bring the heroic theme back
and hence with the full use of the orchestra, including dynamics, Beethoven brings back the heroic
theme with a thick texture. Subject 2 and motif 6 are used in generally softer passages while motifs
5, 3 and 2 are used to build volume.

Instrumentation wise, Beethoven generally relies heavily on more strings or strings doing arco to
build volume. He deploys brasses to build volume, especially at the end. Beethoven also relies on
dynamics to build various textures, in addition to changing instrumentation, he adds crescendos and
decrescendos to change the volume of various textures.

In conclusion, Beethoven wrote this movement with a “heroic” theme in mind. He relied on
melodies that are in general scalic or appegiatic that allowed him to fit harmonies in easily, in order
to bring home the heroic idea, he relied on changes instrumentation, dynamics and use of various
themes to change the orchestral texture to bring out various moods.
1
13

26
 38

50
61

69
 76

84
98

109
118

126
138

148
164

176
187

195
 201

208
215

222
233

242
251

264
276

288
297

307
318

329
339

352
364

378
394

410
425

436
448

458
469

477
486

497
510

520
529

541
550

563
574

584
594

604
616

628
636

646
655

664
674

683