What makes this symphony so captivating is the driving half tone motifs found throughout, especially in the basses and celli, especially in the last movement coda...oscillating back and forth from E to low Eb...only Beethoven could write such stuff!
This Symphony deserves a lot of love. We all know the second movement. The moment in the fourth movement using the triple forte dynamic is so beautiful.
@@orientaldagger6920 Dynamics are not absolute. It is entirely reasonable to play a fortissimo passage in a long movement at the same decibel level as a forte passage in the same movement, because the context might be different. And in the case of pieces involving many different instruments, a passage with all the instruments playing would easily have a bigger sound than one with only a few instruments, and in those two cases, even if both passages might be marked forte, it doesn't necessarily mean they have the same decibel level, similarly even if one is marked forte while th eother is marked fortissimo, it still doesn't necessitate a difference in decibel levels. Also, sforzando in the classical period and even later on was commonly used to indicate a significantly pronounced accent. In many of Beethoven's work, especially his scherzos, one might find multiple sforzando marks in a row. Sforzando is for emphasis, and does not corrospond to the relative dynamic level as forte or piano: while one might say that forte is generally louder than piano, sforzando rejects even that sort of rough generalization. TL;DR: Dynamics are not absolute and doesn't reflect decibel levels. Context matters.
@@19divide53 My point was the only spot where Beethoven marks a fff should sound different than anywhere else. Here it never happens. For that give Previn/LSO a try.
@@loveclassicalmusicalot The second is indeed interesting, that’s why it is so famous. But the whole piece symphony worth to be listened, especially the joyful first movement. Btw you have the same name than me :O
There seemed to be deviating sources for theses final bars. I remember when Jonathan del Mar published his critical edition for Bärenreiter, this bar was marked pizzicato at first. But he changed it back to arco for the 2nd edition no 10 years later. I have not read the critical commentary so I can't say what is correct. But when someone who publishes an Urtext Edition goes back and forth on such an issue, it could not have been as clear.
Upon hearing this symphony, Weber suggested Beethoven should probably be committed-Lol. It certainly embodies a demonic energy and drive wonderfully captured in this performance.
I understand most great composers are the humble ones who live their lives with extreme determination. But what drove Beethoven to reach this point? He used to be a pianist in his early years. But I think its when he lost his hearing was when he became more humble. He went from a grand pianist to a contained composer. Its interesting how one could never leave music.
@@GUILLOM I meant yes this is a good version but I haven't really heard a bad recording of this. It seems to bring out the best in an orchestra. Those high notes from the horns, the nice use of the flute, etc all very colorful.
![Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92 [Kleiber & VPO] (with Score)](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
