SONG OF THE DAY
“Symphony #7 in A Major, Opus 92, 2nd Movement: Allegretto” composed by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1812.
INTERESTING FACTS (a la wikipedia)
– Beethoven began to work on his “Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92”, in 1811, while he was staying in the Bohemian spa town of Teplice in the hope of improving his health.
– It was completed in 1812, and was dedicated to Count Moritz von Fries.
– The work was premiered in Vienna on December 8, 1813 at a charity concert for soldiers wounded in the Battle of Hanau, with Beethoven himself conducting and double featured with the patriotic Wellington’s Victory symphony.
– The orchestra was led by Beethoven’s friend, Ignaz Schuppanzigh, and included some of the finest musicians of the day: violinist Louis Spohr, Johann Nepomuk Hummel, Giacomo Meyerbeer, Antonio Salieri, Anton Romberg, and the Italian double bass virtuoso, Domenico Dragonetti, whom Beethoven himself described as playing “with great fire and expressive power”. It is also said that the Italian guitar virtuoso Mauro Giuliani played cello at the premiere.
– The piece was very well received, and the second movement, the allegretto, had to be encored immediately.
– Spohr made particular mention of Beethoven’s antics on the rostrum (“as a sforzando occurred, he tore his arms with a great vehemence asunder … at the entrance of a forte he jumped in the air”), and the concert was repeated due to its immense success.
– The symphony is scored for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in A, 2 bassoons, 2 horns in A, 2 trumpets in D, timpani, and strings.
– The Seventh Symphony is in four movements:
I. Poco sostenuto – Vivace
II. Allegretto
III. Presto – Assai meno presto (trio)
IV. Allegro con brio
– Performance time lasts approximately 37 minutes.
– The second movement in A minor has a tempo marking of Allegretto (“a little lively”), making it slow only in comparison to the other three movements. This movement was encored at the premiere and has remained popular since. The ostinato (repeated rhythmic figure) of a quarter note, two eighth notes and two quarter notes is heard repeatedly.
– The work is known for its use of rhythmic devices. It is also tonally subtle, making use of the tensions between the key centres of A, C and F. The second movement is in A minor with episodes in A major, and the scherzo is in F major.
– The following films and television shows are said to feature the work, according to IMDB: No Ordinary Family, The King’s Speech, Knowing (where I heard it), and Seinfeld.