A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE SYMPHONIES OF BEETHOVEN

[Harvey]

By Hector Berlioz. So far I read the intro and the 1st Symphony. Looks like a good writeup:
Berloiz on Beethoven's Symphonies.

I also noticed there is a detailed discussion of each symphony on the web page hosting this forum The Beethoven Reference Site, Music, Symphonies. Oddly, there does not seem to be a link to this from the forums page.

Sorry, didn't mean to shout in the subj line but in my excitement, copy and pasted the title from the linked site. Seems I can't change the subject line in edit mode.

[hal9000]

It is a great read. This is an excellent analysis of The Eroica.

I also can't recommend highly enough Robert Greenberg's 32 lectures on the Beethoven symphonies.

[Peter]

I also noticed there is a detailed discussion of each symphony on the web page hosting this forum The Beethoven Reference Site, Music, Symphonies. Oddly, there does not seem to be a link to this from the forums page.

There is a link at the bottom of the page and you're right I'm not sure that all members here are aware of the main Beethoven Reference site - it is very missable but I don't know how we can make it more prominent - how did you find that page?

[Harvey]

I stumbled across the Beethoven Reference Site page while Googling for Beethoven information, probably on the nine symphonies. This was after I had become a forum member.

I am reading Hector Berlioz' write up (link I posted above), well reading and skimming because I don't understand some of the musical terms. Anyway, there is a lot of great info in it. I really appreciate his note on the Eroica:

It is a serious mistake to truncate the title which the composer provided for the symphony. It reads: Heroic symphony to commemorate the memory of a great man. As will be seen, the subject here is not battles or triumphal marches, as many, misled by the abbreviated title, might expect, but rather deep and serious thoughts, melancholy memories, ceremonies of imposing grandeur and sadness, in short a funeral oration for a hero.

and,

Beethoven may have written more striking works than this symphony, and several of his other compositions make a greater impact on the public. But it has to be admitted that the Eroica symphony is so powerful in its musical thought and execution, its style so energetic and so constantly elevated, and its form so poetic, that it is the equal of the composer’s very greatest works.

I also find interesting the effects of classical music on animals, and Hector hits on that too:

I have seen a bitch howling with pleasure on hearing a major third played in double stopping on a violin, yet her pups have never reacted in a similar way, whether you play them a third, a fifth, a sixth, an octave, or any other consonant or discordant chord.

[Harvey]

hal9000. I definitely want to explore the two links you posted. Thanks.

[AeolianHarp]

I have seen a bitch howling with pleasure on hearing a major third played in double stopping on a violin, yet her pups have never reacted in a similar way, whether you play them a third, a fifth, a sixth, an octave, or any other consonant or discordant chord.

Hehe, even dogs know where it's at!

[Michael]

Quote: "I have seen a bitch howling with pleasure on hearing a major third played in double stopping on a violin, yet her pups have never reacted in a similar way, whether you play them a third, a fifth, a sixth, an octave, or any other consonant or discordant chord."


I presume they were listening to J S Bark?