DAILY DOSE OF BEETHOVEN (September 23, 2020)
What happens when man is introduced into this pastoral scene? Those accustomed to today's common misanthropic characterization that " Man is the most dangerous animal", will probably expect the worst.
Fortunately nothing of the sort occurs. The third movement is called "Peasants merry-making", or "Village Festival." For Beethoven, man is part of nature. The music for this movement was largely inspired by his visits to the woods at Brühl, where he would often stop at the "Three Ravens" tavern and listen to the country band.
Music is natural, but some of the chromatic sumptuous excesses in later in Romantic composers can be characterized as less than natural. However, the amateur music that Beethoven heard at the "Three Ravens", albeit simple, was from the heart. What did the great master think of it? In 1819, while in Brühl, as he was working on the “MIssa Solemnis”, he took the time to write a few waltzes for the band. As the night wore on, the players would put down their instruments to get a drink, light a pipe, or even take a nap. Beethoven asked Schindler if he ever noticed how they would fall asleep then wake up with a random note, although usually in tune. "In the Pastoral Symphony", said Beethoven, "I have tried to copy this."
We provide a marked score (see photo below), to show you these ideas Beethoven got from the village players and it’s developement by Beethoven. Examine "Pastoral Themes" just to get an idea. The opening theme is stated by the strings in F major (A). It's a very simple descending pattern. The oboes are oblivious to key, and answer in D major (B). The end of their phrase seems a bit truncated. Beethoven, the master, makes it all appear seamless. In the second theme, while the oboe starts one note late (not shown), the strings play a very simple two-note repeating pattern (C) ( In the first two movements we heard the repeating patterns of nature. Here, we hear them in amateur musicians.) The bassoonist also has a repertoire of two notes (D), and might be a bit tipsy. (It's an octave lower than we wrote it.) In the middle section, the cellos and basses also keep repeating two notes (E). In beethoven's hands, it becomes hilarious and charming.
The movement starts (with score) at 23:15 in this video of the entire symphony.
It ends at 28:15 with a sudden quiet Db, which ushers in a storm. Come back tomorrow for part 4!