On Wednesday, June 14, 2017, I had the pleasure of watching the Chicago Symphony Orchestra perform Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Opus 125 by Ludwig Van Beethoven. The original performance was recorded and put on YouTube, May 7, 2015, in honor of its first premier 191 years before when Beethoven decided to share his 9th Symphony with the world even though he couldn’t hear it himself. The symphonic masterpiece was recorded at the beautiful Symphony Center Orchestra Hall in Chicago and conducted by Riccardo Muti. The performance was completely deserving of selling out every single seat for one hour and twenty-two minutes. In fact, the musicians did not disappoint, Stephen Williamson was in the first clarinet chair, alongside colleagues Mathieu …show more content…
The first movement felt as though it was the beginning of a riddle sure to be solved later in the symphony. It began with a sense of suspense with all basic elements of music: tonality, melody, and rhythm. The entire first movement was of an established sonata, between all instruments. However, what caught my attention was the mumble of the low strings which erupted into violins. I was on the edge of my seat for what was to come.
Next, was the longest movement, Molto vivace. Dominated by D minor, this movement resembled the introduction of the opening theme in the first movement but with more lightheartedness. Also called a scherzo because of its “dancelike” theme, this section utilized the Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, French Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Timpani, and Strings. I also noticed a downbeat around every three beats throughout the fast tempo in this section. This movement was also in complete sonata form, like the first, but started out with a fugue, containing timpani solos and then later concluded with an abrupt
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The fourth and final movement, of course, was my favorite. Presto opened with a dissonant and quick piece that lead to a more recitative style. After the cellos and basses played, the aria from the famous “Ode to Joy” intervened. After minutes passed by, the movement started over and a vocal recitative of a deep soloist began and then the chorus and four other vocal soloists followed by repetition elaborating on the “joy” part of the theme. This movement went through several variations of the melody presented in the finale and became a variation of a Cantata which eventually led the music to reach a climax. This climax created a melody counterpoint that ended with yet another coda, this time it was extravagant and
The first theme begins with the whole orchestra playing a “C” loudly three times. The timpani’s hit a third above. Then with a much softer dynamic the violins play a pleasant dotted rhythm melody, or the Lombardi rhythm. It goes C to B to D to C G to F. Then the orchestra plays loudly three times, again but playing the dominant, G. Then the violins softly play, in the same Lambardi rhythm, that same motive, but starting on D instead of C and ending on G instead of F. Then the orchestra loudly plays, in the dotted rhythm, the tonic chord, then the subdominant, to the dominant, back to the tonic, to the subdominant and to the dominant again, then back and forth a few times between the Dominant and the tonic and then cadencing on the dominant. The next melody is played by the wind instruments and the strings that is quite similar it the first quiet motive. There is much chromatics, as it starts to modulate and turn minor. It crescendos and cadences on the dominant, which is played loudly three times like before. Then almost just as loud and new melody with the dotted rhythm ascends upward and it cadences on the dominant of the original dominant, the orchestra playing it three times like before. The violins are quiet again as the play another pleasant melody, but in a different key. It gets very quiet and slows down. [2:04] There is a small pause and suddenly a prominent E-flat comes out of the C minor and then it goes to ‘E’ natural playing C major then to the subdominant and quickly to the tonic. The dominant is briefly embellished before it cadences to the median chord and quiets down a little. A string instrument plucks a ‘G’ and a new melody is introduced. It cadences to the original dominant and then everything repeated, but small differences hear and there.
The main theme is refashioned at the beginning of the development (m. 110- m. 122) in the first violins; it is specifically borrowing from measures 14 and 15. This component is sequenced that follows the circle of fourths, first to A, then D, and lastly G. This sequencing of a theme from the exposition indicates the start of the core. This use of arpeggios found in mm. 16-19 is extracted from the original key of C major and used as an outline for the harmonic motion via sequencing.
The music was soulful, emotional music, which took its basis from the pianos and metzopianos of the piece. If it had been as loud as part one, it would have been nowhere near as effective, yet because it was soft, it created a feeling of tranquility and peacefulness. The third part of the piece was Sensato, which blends part one and part two together. This section starts off around a solid mezzoforte, and raises and lowers in intensity, led by a trumpet or cornet solo during the opening. After the soloist finished, the piece became more intense, with a heavy percussion presence coming from the back of the band.
The last Piece of the program was Symphony No1. In g minor, op7 (1891-1892), features the work of the composer Carl Nielsen (18...
On September 18, 2014, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus performed a wonderful rendition of Symphony No. 9, Op. 125 by Ludwig van Beethoven at the Orchestra Hall in Chicago one hundred and ninety years after it was first performed in Vienna. It included four movements and four choral performers, making it part symphony and part oratorio. Conducting was Riccardo Muti, who has been the conductor for the last nine years, and is doing an outstanding job of paying respects to some of the most well-known musical classics. Although in Beethoven’s time a symphony and opera were very rarely mixed and resulted in success, Op.
During 1830s, many of the genre such as piano sonata, concerto even symphony, derived the first movement form from Koch’s binary form to Sonata-Allegro form. The Sonata-Allegro form consists of 3 main sections – exposition, development, and recapitulation. The exposition, which is usually repeated, contains 4 sections, the main melodic ideas or themes are introduced. The development presents themes from the exposition and modulates to new and sometimes remote keys. The recapitulation brings back the material from the exposition in the original order, but in the tonic.
It is best known for its’ third movement titled “Clair de lune.” The first movement, called Prelude, is very light and legato; similar to the mood of Clair de lune. The second and fourth movements provide quite the contrast, they are more lively and contain much staccato. It is because of this
The third piece of the concert, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A Minor, Op. 92 is a wonderful piece of Classical musical art. Comprised of four movements, the Poco sostenuto – Vivace, Allgretto, Presto – Trio I and II: Assai meno presto, and the Allegro con brio, the symphony follows the traditional four movement form. The first movement, the Poco sostenuto – Vivace, sets the stage for the rest of the performance with its lively rhythms as the result of a sonata form vivace and repetitive passages of the coda. The second movement is slightly slower than the rest of the movements.
...htly syncopated, again with ornamental notes by the flute. There is a crescendo, which contrasts long notes and staccato notes, creating an unusual rhythm. The crescendo builds up to a perfect cadence with the timpani crashing.
The viol created a contrasting sound that was different and was distinguishing among the other string instruments. The quartet had a different bow technique and fast hand movements. There was also terraced dynamics that created a contrast in the volume of the piece. At the fourth movement, the tempo also started to slow down compared to other movements. At the end of the piece, the violin movements stopped and the cello took the final notes making the composition end with a tuneful and a sweet-sounding
The second movement, a gentle Andante in G major, begins slowly and softly with the exception of three repeated chords played first in forte, then in piano which provide contrast to the melody. Gradually, the bass advances with a moving ostinato into the second theme. The main melody is repeated before ending off by returning to the original key. The third movement is a rondo and re-establishes the energy and vigour of the first movement. The melody starts with an acciaccatura, an ornament that is repeated throughout the movement, before continuing with a semiquaver passage that begins the second theme.
The concerto also evoked thoughts as well. The thoughts it evoked were peace and serenity, being in a peaceful state of mind, being in a peaceful, and the relief of stress. There were memorable features of this performance. I tended to remember the slower sections. There were some striking rhythms and melodies.
The movement ends on two brief chords. Presto Agitato, the last movement, returns to the original key of the sonata, and is written similarly to the first, with alternating melodies between the violin and piano. The piece frantically picks up momentum with the rapid tempo and intense dynamics, and theatrically concludes Brahms’ final violin sonata. This work was performed no less emphatically than the first by Stefan and Anna, the described emotions vividly brought to life during the concert. They excellently utilized techniques like rubato, slightly pushing the tempo of the rapid portions, and the violin and piano built off of each other to create a truly great
...chestral introduction with an imperfect cadence. A strong rhythmic ¾ allegro passage, with sequences and descending scales is played by the orchestra, with timpani and cymbals. The music modulates, and a short, quiet woodwind passage is then alternated with an orchestral passage with dotted rhythms, creating a `terraced dynamics' effect. Part B begins with a major clarinet melody accompanied by pizzicato strings. A minor flute sequence follows, and is followed by a repetition of the oboe melody. A string sequence is then played, imitated by the oboe. There is a crescendo, then the rhythmic orchestral melody returns, alternated with a short flute passage. There are suspensions, descending scales and a crescendo, followed by a strong rhythmic passage with the timpani playing on the beat. Imperfect cadences are played, before the piece finishes with a perfect cadence.
On November, 7th, I made the trek to Los Angeles, for the classical music concert was performed by the chamber orchestra of about 40 members. The performance was at the Royce Hall at the Los Angles performing a marvelous program of classical music comprised of Mozart’s concertos and symphonies right in the heart of downtown. I can truly say that this was going to be the most novel and memorable experience for me because I have never been to the live music concert before. As we pulled up to the entrance, all I could see was a mass of humans with an overload of emotions on their faces. However, I know every individual was standing here, inside their souls were connected by a passion in classical music, especial Mozart’s masterworks, as if their hearts beat the