BEETHOVEN - SYMPHONY 3 "EROICA" (full analysis) 

To answer your questions, yes, the chromatic motive is the descent to the C# which gives Theme 1 a harmonic instability (implying a move to G minor that never happens). Instead, it gets pushed back up to the Eb again. This represents the "struggle" of the "hero" (i.e. Beethoven). The hemiola in phrase b provides rhythmic instability as well which has to be resolved (another struggle). The climax of the Development obliterates both harmonic and rhythmic instability. Both are resolved in the Recapitulation (notice the C# resolves correctly and the hemiola isn't in phrase b). Regarding the trumepts in the CODA, Mr. Hurwitz is correct in that conductors with modern valved instruments sometimes add in the 2nd phrase. Where I disagree with Mr. Hurwitz is his opinion on it "sounding terrible" to leave out. It wasn't written in the music in 1804, and I think its unwise to hypothesize what Beethoven WOULD have done had he had access to an instrument that hadn't even been invented yet. He didn't write the music with the intent of having trumpets play the second phrase once the valved trumpet was invented. This particular recording is the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras. He uses modern instruments but plays in the HIP (historically informed performance) style which in this case there are no trumpets in the second phrase. If you are interested, Mackerras' CD set (which is my personal favorite) has EXTENSIVE liner notes about his research and rationale on his musical choices. It's practically a small book. As a side note, Mr. Hurwitz worships Mackerras (as well he should). By all accounts he was an unbelievably kind man who never ever had a weak recording. He's always my go to conductor in Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven. Hope that helps.

@@Nyssa337 Is 00:11 more accurate for the start of the C-sharp? I'm not a musician :) I do agree though with Hurwitz that the "shock" of the C-sharp intrusion is overstated by Tovey. Sounds fairly subtle to modern ears and especially compared to the work's other amazing innovations. Oh, I do love those "Hemiolas," like at 2:24, those six thunderous chords! And that gargantuan dissonant Hemiolized WALL OF SOUND in the Development! 7:24 But my favorite bit of mvt I is the new theme/melody that comes in at 8:04 and again in the Coda. For me, as a listener, it seems to represent how we can discover something important even later in life, and that it can stay with us; it's never too late. :) Also, the way the triad motive shows up in the middle of that melody is emphasizing how the goodness is an outgrowth of the struggle... Mackerras is indeed great (and even without the "second phrase" trumpets)! And his Mozart is even better than his Beethoven, imho. I also heard his LvB 9th that's not part of the cycle you mentioned but had the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and it is on another level! Do check it out if you have a chance. Cheers! :D

Sure, the very basic form of a standard minuet and trio is ABA (with A being the 1st minuet and B being the 2nd minuet also known as the trio). The second A is a repeat of the first A without internal repeats. The INTERNAL form of each minuet is USUALLY aaba'ba' which means phrase a and its repetition, phrase b, modified version of phrase a (labeled as a') then the ba' phrases are repeated giving each minuet AND each trio an internal structure of aaba'ba'. Haydn and Mozart followed these rules, Beethoven tended the bend the rules if it suited his expressive needs.

@@Nyssa337 But why are they called "phrases" and not themes? I wondered what the distinction was. I know some menuets and scherzos are said to have "themes." Thank you!!! :)

@@NN-df7hl the short answer is that a Theme is a larger unit and can have multiple phrases, so ALL of the Minuet is one Theme with three phrases: a b and a'. The Trio is another Theme with three phrases c d and c'. Haydn and Mozart minuets adhere to the rules more strictly. The Eroica is a tricky one to analyze simply because it shattered many of the established norms.

@@Nyssa337 I'll think of Phrase as a sentence and a Theme as a paragraph. Cheers! :D

i personally feel like the whole form's a bit more balanced with the repeat, especially since the Chord Crash comes at the midpoint of the piece