Andante for the Tenth Symphony

[gprengel]

Hi, as you know and as it has been discussed here before, in 1825 Beethoven sketched some ideas for a planned 10th symphony. Among these there is a beautiful Andante theme for a second movement, of which the musical world has not really been aware of so far. Mostly the first or maybe the third movement have been discussed.

Now I made an attempt to present this theme and wrote a symphonic movement with variations on this theme, as I have done it already with the Scherzo sketches for this symphony before.

Please listen to it at:
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=6901872

I put it also on YouTube (--> "Beethoven 10th"), but there the sound quality is not that good, but there you can follow the score. What do you think?

Gerd

[Peter]

I would have listened but my speakers seemed to have packed up - hopefully the link will be around for a while?

[Ateach Asc]

LVB 10th Andante?

It sounds very much like the 3rd of the 9th.

Or at least comes off very much like the 3rd of the 9th.

Which raises the question... why would LVB ever want to repeat himself in a symphonic work?

The closest that he ever came to symphonic repetiton was that loud crashing bit of music in the opening of the second which very much appears to have been reborn in that loud crashing bit of music very shortly in the opening of the 9th.

Of course, on occasion LVB did repeat himself, or at least quote himself, like in that famous Eroica theme appearing in the 4th movement of the 3rd.

But why would LVB have wanted to compose an entire symphonic movement sounding almost like an immediately preceding symphonic gem?

Maybe that is the way in which he developed his works... before he sculpted the final forms.

[Michael]

It sounds very much like the 3rd of the 9th.

Which raises the question... why would LVB ever want to repeat himself in a symphonic work?

The remaining sketches for the opening of the Tenth Symphony show a remarkable resemblance to the famous middle movement of the Pathetique Sonata.

[Chris]

I think it sounds great. Thanks for putting the effort into this.

[Preston]

Good work Gerd! I wish I had your talents. What program did you use, GPO?

When I listen classical music I hear the themes and variations, but am still trying to understand all of it. Like why use a theme, then make variations around that theme, etc.?

Good Work,
Preston

[gprengel]

It sounds very much like the 3rd of the 9th.
Or at least comes off very much like the 3rd of the 9th.

Hi, I agree that the variation part at 6:49 with the fast and tender 1/32 notes in the strings playing around the main theme of the wood winds indeed is similiar to the variations of that Adagio from the 9th. Always that Adagio for me had been the peak of all Adagios and I felt compelled to write at least one variation in that style. Barry Cooper did this too with the Andante of the first movement.
But the theme itsself, I think, is not similiar at all to the Adagio of the Ninth. The opening with the Flute and the spheric strings and the longer middle part in minor is quite unique and has nothing in common with the Ninth, I think.

I am very much addicted to this piece. I listen to it all the time with my IPod
... and recommend you to download it and listen to it with headphones too :-)))

Gerd

[gprengel]

What program did you use, GPO?

Yes, I did. Garritan Personal Orchestra is a wonderful tool.

Gerd

[PDG]

Yes, I did. Garritan Personal Orchestra is a wonderful tool.

Gerd

Well done, Gerd. Presumably a labour of love realised for you?...

[gprengel]

It sounds very much like the 3rd of the 9th.

Or at least comes off very much like the 3rd of the 9th.

As I wrote, the theme is not really similiar to the Adagio of the Ninth, but to one movement it is indeed somewhat reminding: As I was working on this movement I realized that there is a certain resemblence to the beautiful second theme of the Adagio from the LesAdieux piano sonata!!

Gerd