Beethoven Number V 1st Movement Essay

Two of the greatest composers of classical music were Mozart and Beethoven. Their music is legendary, and some of the most recognizable. Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and Beethoven’s Symphony Number V First Movement are very similar, but they are also very different. In terms of tempo, form, melody, harmony, timbre, and texture, they exhibit the two composer’s similar styles while also highlighting the differences between the two. To begin, let us examine how the movements are balanced in terms of tempo and form. For Beethoven’s, the tempo is allegro, which is fast. However, I would say that at some points it also could be considered adagio, or slow. The tempo fluctuates quite a bit throughout the movement, changing from allegro to adagio to create a mood of urgency or hurriedness. Due to this fluctuation I do not believe the tempo is extremely balanced. In terms of form, this song is

Beethoven’s movement starts with the distinctive four note entry, and then proceeds to use that as the theme in the work. The rest of the movement is variations of the four note motif, whether it be aggressive (such as in the first two minutes or so of the song), or gentle (at about minute five of the song), or rapid and exciting. Each new section plays off the four note motif and develops in its own way, but stays true to the theme. Mozart treats his theme in much the same way in his movement. He starts off with a characteristic nine note theme, and then develops in in different parts of the song. There are parts that are whimsical, and parts that are energizing. All of the parts stay true to the main theme, developing in their own ways and creating their own moods, much like in Beethoven’s movement. All in all, both composers treat their themes in the same way. They stay true to their themes, and despite adding the alterations, they created overall enrapturing pieces of