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Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Symphony No. 7 in A Major
Composed: 1812
Premiered: 1813, Vienna
Duration: 9 minutes

 

After the occupation of Vienna by Napoleon in 1809, the fortunes of the inhabitants of the city, including Beethoven, took a decided turn for the worse. Food and fuel became very scarce and expensive, and things did not really improve until after 1810. Beethoven temporarily recovered his energy, and sketched his Seventh and Eighth symphonies in 1811, before falling almost totally silent for most of the next decade. 

Both of these symphonies, in their different ways, share a mood of jubilation; to the audiences at their premiere in 1813, the Seventh undoubtedly symbolized the recent victories over Napoleon. Beethoven himself conducted, but by now was so deaf that he could not hear the softer passages, and lost track several times. Although some people have doubted the authenticity of the story that Carl Maria von Weber, then aged about 13, remarked when he heard this symphony that Beethoven was “ready for the madhouse,” one can see his point. Although the key is A Major, shifts to remote keys are very prominent, and in some cases, abrupt. The grinding, harsh bass line towards the end of the first movement, and again in the finale, must have struck a classically trained musician as bizarre. 

In an analysis of many earlier commentators on this work, Maynard Solomon concludes that to all of them, it has represented in various ways a festive event, with its “mood of joyous acceptance of the world.” Richard Wagner’s memorable phrase is often quoted: “The apotheosis of the Dance: the Dance in its highest condition.” Even the slow movement, an allegretto, moves with a deliberate, inexorable rhythmic tread, the melody only appearing after 24 bars. This striking, somewhat ominous movement was encored at the premiere; it is one of Beethoven’s most immediately accessible creations. (This is the music that is heard in the sound track of the movie, The King’s Speech). Beethoven himself described this symphony as “one of the happiest products of my poor talents.”

Program note by the late Dr. C.W. Helleiner

Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Symphony No. 7 in A Major
Composed: 1812
Premiered: 1813, Vienna
Duration: 9 minutes

 

After the occupation of Vienna by Napoleon in 1809, the fortunes of the inhabitants of the city, including Beethoven, took a decided turn for the worse. Food and fuel became very scarce and expensive, and things did not really improve until after 1810. Beethoven temporarily recovered his energy, and sketched his Seventh and Eighth symphonies in 1811, before falling almost totally silent for most of the next decade. 

Both of these symphonies, in their different ways, share a mood of jubilation; to the audiences at their premiere in 1813, the Seventh undoubtedly symbolized the recent victories over Napoleon. Beethoven himself conducted, but by now was so deaf that he could not hear the softer passages, and lost track several times. Although some people have doubted the authenticity of the story that Carl Maria von Weber, then aged about 13, remarked when he heard this symphony that Beethoven was “ready for the madhouse,” one can see his point. Although the key is A Major, shifts to remote keys are very prominent, and in some cases, abrupt. The grinding, harsh bass line towards the end of the first movement, and again in the finale, must have struck a classically trained musician as bizarre. 

In an analysis of many earlier commentators on this work, Maynard Solomon concludes that to all of them, it has represented in various ways a festive event, with its “mood of joyous acceptance of the world.” Richard Wagner’s memorable phrase is often quoted: “The apotheosis of the Dance: the Dance in its highest condition.” Even the slow movement, an allegretto, moves with a deliberate, inexorable rhythmic tread, the melody only appearing after 24 bars. This striking, somewhat ominous movement was encored at the premiere; it is one of Beethoven’s most immediately accessible creations. (This is the music that is heard in the sound track of the movie, The King’s Speech). Beethoven himself described this symphony as “one of the happiest products of my poor talents.”

Program note by the late Dr. C.W. Helleiner