BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 7 Op. 92
This symphony was composed in 1811-12, contemporary with the 8th Symphony op. 93
and the Battle Symphony op. 91 (which was written to celebrate
Wellington's victory over Napoleon's troops at Vitoria in Spain in 1812).
This was a period of intense productivity for a man who usually found
composition a rather laborious task, and the Sevent does indeed appear to be a
spontaneous outpouring of creative energy. Much of Beethoven's music radiates
the optimism that filled Europe during the years that followed the French
Revolution, but this symphony somehow seems to be a more personal expression of
sheer joie de vivre. Perhaps it is this spirit of exuberance
which led Wagner to dub it the `Apotheosis of the Dance'.
The first movement boasts the longest slow introduction of any of Beethoven's
symphonies; the following Vivace must surely be a candidate for
one of the happiest pieces of music ever written. The second movement is
more serious and fulfils the function of a ``slow movement'', despite its
tempo marking of Allegretto. In the Scherzo, we find Beethoven at
his most humorous: unexpected dynamic contrasts, entries which are deliberately
in the wrong place, and an infuriatingly predictable Trio section with far
too many repeats! Not content with the usual Scherzo-Trio-Scherzo
format, Beethoven adds an extra Trio and Scherzo, and starts off as though
there is going to be yet another repetition of the Trio music before suddenly
changing his mind and starting the Finale instead. Rumour hath it that this is
based on a German folk tune; whether or not this is true, it forms an
uproarious conclusion to the symphony.
Apparently Beethoven's deafness had reached such a point, by the time he wrote
this, that he was no longer able to hear the quiet passages in his music;
despite this, he insisted on conducting the first performances and got
himself and the orchestra hopelessly lost as a result. It is a lesson to us
all that, suffering from the worst malady conceivable for a musician of his
stature, he could face the world and write music like this.
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