Concert report

Festina Lente

February 28, 2021

MUSC 264A

Concert Report #1

Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, Movement I

I was introduced to the Classical Period last week in class and because I love order and natural simplicity, I decided to choose a piece from this period for my first report. I visited the Concert Roulette, set the parameters for the Classical Period, and forwarded through several concerts until I landed on a video of an ensemble that was standing and playing without any music: The Aurora Orchestra. I Googled the orchestra and discovered they are based in England and are known for playing entire symphonies from memory. The piece was composed by Ludwig van Beethoven; it was his 5th symphony. I did not know the name of the piece, but I certainly recognized the music from the very first notes. I searched for the symphony on YouTube so I could figure out what movement it was. I was in luck; it was the first movement and I know a thing or two about the first movement of symphonies.

Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, Movement I https://roulette.alternativeclassical.co.uk/#PZ4mmPZMSdI

· Melody: The opening theme consists of a short four note motive (three staccato repeated notes and one longer lower note) that is repeated throughout the piece by different sections of the orchestra. The theme starts aggressively in a low register, and meanders throughout the orchestra in a wavelike contour. The range of the disjunct melody is quite large since every section of the orchestra plays the short motive in their own register. There is a second, contrasting theme that is much sweeter and conjunct with a narrow range. The second theme is a welcomed relaxation after the tension built up by the first theme!

· Harmony: The main theme is in a minor key most of the time. The second theme sounds major. Most of the piece is consonant, but the last section has several jarring and dissonant chords.

· Form: This was what I expected for the first movement of a symphony – sonata form. I knew as soon as I heard the piece start over again at 1:23. I could tell when each new section started by either a solo horn or oboe section. Once the recapitulation started, I could no longer follow the form, everything was unpredictable and there was a lot of new material that I was not expecting to hear.

· Texture: Mostly homophonic. Towards the end there was some polyphony.

· Dynamics: The piece starts at a fortissimo with many dramatic dynamic contrasts. The 2nd theme is mezzo piano but crescendos back to the forte/fortissimo for the main theme. The ending is even more powerful than the beginning.

· Tempo: Allegro for most of the piece. There is a ritardando towards the end, but it returns to a tempo by the very end.

· Instrumentation: Symphony orchestra – strings, tympani, woodwinds (2 clarinets, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons), and brass (2 French horns and 2 really long trumpets)

I will admit this piece had much more drama and unpredictability than I expected to hear given what I have learned about the Classical Period. It seemed like at times the piece would come to a full stop (like with the solo horn and oboe sections) and it was a nice and necessary point of relaxation because this piece is so relentless. The orchestra members were incredibly emotive and watching them really enhanced the intensity. Because they did not have music in front of them and they were standing, the orchestra had the freedom to be more expressive. I was surprised at how young all the members of the orchestra were – maybe that’s why I felt like I could identify so well with their emotions? I was glad to have found this performance; I had thought I wanted order and simplicity. Apparently, what I really needed was a large dose of passion, and I can imagine any ensemble delivering it better than the Aurora Orchestra!