Beethoven Symphony #7
Beethoven’s 7th Symphony is a non-stop thrill ride for both listeners and performers. It’s filled with dance rhythms, great melodies, and feels like that rock band turning up their volume all the way through the set until the speakers blow out at the end!
Cool facts:
Ludwig van Beethoven would’ve been on his way to 252 years old if he was alive today. He composed 9 symphonies for full orchestra, and completed his 7th Symphony in 1812 when he was 42 years old.
Symphony #7 lasts for about 40 minutes and is in four sections called movements, like a book with four chapters. Each movement has its own unique characteristics and function, but there are a few things here and there that preview the next movement or tie the whole symphony ‘chapter book’ together.
The first performance of Symphony #7 was a success and the audience demanded to hear the 8 minute long second movement “Allegretto” again as soon as it was finished! It became popular as a stand-alone piece of music apart from the rest of the symphony, like the Adagietto from Gustav Mahler’s 5th Symphony, the “Goin’ Home” melody from Antonin Dvorak’s 9th Symphony, and “Lyric for Strings” originally from George Walker’s String Quartet #1.
The Allegretto movement is still very popular today and was recently used as the soundtrack to the final scene in the movie The King’s Speech.
This music rocks out at Volume 11 even though Beethoven wrote for just two each of flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns, and trumpets, no percussion other than timpani (kettle drums), and the usual string section of violins, violas, cellos, and basses.
Listening map:
Here is a listening map that can guide you through the piece. Read it in advance or while you’re listening!
Movement 1: Poco Sostenuto – Vivace (in English: a little sustained – lively and vivacious)
The first music we hear is an introduction which effectively gathers friends for the dance. We hear first the oboe, then clarinet, and horn statements punctuated by loud chords from the rest of the orchestra.
This introduction gives way to gathering rhythmic energy and melodic fragments until around 3'30" it melts into a suspenseful exchange between high strings and winds, previewing the underlying skipping rhythm of the Vivace movement about 30" later.
Around 4'30" the music bursts into action with strings loudly proclaiming the melody, but also listen here for the horns triumphantly outlining the apex of each of these gestures.
About 6'22" there is an abrupt halt, silence, and a restart.
Another of these abrupt changes at around 13' kicks off a great coda, or final ending, with a sort of “Jaws theme” idea that returns in movements 3 and 4. This “Jaws theme” idea goes from about 13'30" until the final outburst around 14'. Again listen for the horns to be the triumphant conquering heroes of the dance about 15" later. We dare you not to feel lifted!
Movement 2: Allegretto (in English: a little lively, medium fast)
Violas and cellos open with the melody and ostinato, a repeating rhythmic pattern, which defines this movement.
About 45" in we move into a series of increasing layered melodies while new instrument groups take over the ostinato underneath.
Beethoven weaves the melodies together like this, building in scope and volume through to a gentle smiling secondary melody area near the 3' mark featuring clarinet and then the wind section.
About 4'30" we return to the opening material, now with the repeating ostinato rhythm being plucked in the lower strings.
Around 5'20" a little fugue, like a round based on the melody, runs through the strings which builds to a big statement of the original ostinato melody in winds about a minute later.
At about 6'30" we return to the gentle smiling secondary material, which melts again into original material 30-40" later and is gingerly passed around orchestra from there to the end.
Movement 3: Presto – Assai meno presto (in English: quick – a lot less quick)
This movement was described by English conductor Thomas Beecham as sounding like “a lot of yaks jumping about”. This should make you feel instant kinship with happy yaks! ?
Right away musical ideas are tossed around at whiplash speed with dynamic contrasts of loud and soft creating extra suspense and excitement.
About 2'30" we begin the Assai meno presto slower music, also called a trio section. The “Jaws theme” material from movement 1 appears as a sort of dialogue between winds and strings in this section. Listen for the low horn playing the “Jaws theme” on and off from about 3'20" to 4'50". This is a preview of an extended expression in the final moments of the last movement.
After that we return to the yak dance! ?
Just past the 6' mark we return again to the slower Assai meno presto “Jaws theme” trio section.
And then at about 8' we have the final return of yak dance! ?
Movement 4: Allegro con brio (in English: lively with gusto)
This movement starts so quickly after the end of the 3rd movement that we almost feel like we’ve been shot out of a canon! The entire thing is a whirlwind of activity, with rhythmic drive and contrasts of louds and softs creating suspense and surprise again and again throughout. Note the expression of strong versus weak beats shifting between 1 and 2
Around 5' into it you’ll hear the beginning of an extended “Jaws theme” area underpinning all the activity in the orchestra through about the 8' mark, after which Beethoven brings in the “big guns” of wildly triumphant trumpets and horns to polish off the finish of a nonstop super exciting movement.
Consider and discuss:
This symphony is filled with rhythmic vitality and is through and through the “danciest” of all of Beethoven’s 9 symphonies.
Exploring rhythms and layering - Do this at home, or at intermission! ?
Beethoven uses triplet rhythms, or rhythms that flow in groupings of 3, in every movement of the symphony. To create more interest and excitement, he layers different rhythms together which make complex combinations. Let’s try learning some!
First establish a steady repeating group of 3 by clapping, tapping your leg, or using any 3 syllable word with equal emphasis on each syllable.
Ex: Kennedy Kennedy Kennedy Kennedy = 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
Now add a clap, tap, or single syllable word to each of the first group of three.
Ex: Kennedy Kennedy Kennedy Kennedy = 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
Grant Grant Grant Grant = 1 1 1 1
Finally add a more complex rhythm of unequal emphasis so that the first "syllable" is longest.
Ex: Kennedy Kennedy Kennedy Kennedy = 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
Grant Grant Grant Grant = 1 1 1 1
MAdison MAdison MAdison MAdison =1---23 1---23 1---23 1---23
This is the basis for the first movement Vivace. Congratulate yourself for getting these layers going! Now jam a bit and take turns making up new ones over the “Kennedy” and “Grant” rhythms.
The second movement is based on groupings of two at first, but then layers with groupings of three. This is harder than it might seem, and is super cool sounding when it all fits together. Try it out!
First begin with this ostinato, or repeating pattern, that makes up the main theme. Repeat it endlessly for authentic Beethoven effect. ?
Ex: Grant Adams Grant Grant = 1 1 2 1 1
Then layer the steady repeating pulse or beat.
Ex: Grant Adams Grant Grant = 1 1 2 1 1
Grant Grant Grant Grant = 1 1 1 1
Now spice it up with the triplet rhythm layer!
Ex: Grant Adams Grant Grant = 1 1 2 1 1
Grant Grant Grant Grant = 1 1 1 1
Kennedy Kennedy Kennedy Kennedy = 123123123123
The third movement gets even more interesting with a "pickup" rhythm that sort of elbows or nudges the steady beat in the ribs over and over again.
First establish your steady triplet grouping:
Ex: Kennedy Kennedy Kennedy Kennedy = 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
Then add your steady pulse:
Ex: Kennedy Kennedy Kennedy Kennedy = 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
Grant Grant Grant Grant = 1 1 1 1
And now elbow/nudge the pulse in the ribs! In this example, the K in McKinley should line up with the K in Kennedy and the G in Grant.
Ex: Kennedy Kennedy Kennedy Kennedy = 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
Grant Grant Grant Grant = 1 1 1 1
McKinley McKinley McKinley McKinley = 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2
The fourth and final movement is a rip roaring rhythm fest, but the primary point of interest is with the shifting emPHAsis on the wrong syllABles. Most music for the symphony orchestra is written so that the first note of a grouping gets the emphasis. It’s often labeled as “on” the beat. Most rock and roll music, by contrast, is arranged so that the second note of a grouping gets the emphasis, which is often called a “back” or "off" beat.
Try marching in place = L R L R L R etc
Now add a clap on each LEFT = L R L R L R etc
Switch to clapping on RIGHT = L R L R L R etc
You’ve just unlocked the code for the whole last movement of Beethoven’s 7th Symphony! He throws in the backbeat, turns up the volume, and suddenly we’re in a 19th century rock band!
Listening to the Symphony:
Now that you’ve had a chance to consider, discuss, and get active around elements of Beethoven’s 7th Symphony it’s time to listen to the Longmont Symphony Orchestra performance. This symphony begs for movement and you can really get after it at home in a way that you can’t when you’re in the concert hall. If you're listening in the concert hall, imagine all the fun dance moves you'll create. If you're listening at home, clear some space in the room where you’ll be listening. Feel free to join in using the rhythm exercises above, dance around (even the Allegretto movement makes a nice long slow dance!), air “guitar” with the different instruments you hear, conduct along, or keep it chill and journal, paint, or draw your observations. Have a discussion afterward.
Please share your experience with us! We would love to hear about it or see any of your activities, journaling, or creations! info@longmontsymphony.org
This "Deep Dive" content was created by Catherine Beeson, © 2020.