Question on Beethoven's 'Emperor Concerto'

[robert newman]

Its been pure pleasure to trawl this website (which I've only recently discovered) and to learn so much from devotees of the great Beethoven's music.

As someone in his late 40's I've always loved Beethoven, but have never devoted time and energy into understanding the detail of his life and works.

May I ask members a question -

In the slow movement of Beethoven's 'Emperor' concerto the opening bars are hauntingly beautiful, lush, poignant, almost miraculous in creating such a reverent effect. Can anyone tell me what the chord sequences are for these first 8 bars or so and whether there is any unusual harmonic or instrumental reason for such a sound effect that he creates there ? I know few things in Music which melt my heart as those opening bars of that movement. Wonder why such simple lines have that effect ?

Robert Newman

[Peter]

Yes how true that the greatest beauty is achieved by simple means. Several things here create this magical world. First of all the rich and unusual key of B major with its 5 sharps. The scoring which begins just with strings - violins muted and pizzicato bass. 2 bar phrases - Harmonically the first 2 bars are simply tonic, dominant, sub-dominant, super-tonic, dominant. Then the piano enters with these slowly descending scales over long sustained string chords.

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'Man know thyself'

[robert newman]

Thank you very much. How lovely it is !

RN