Beethoven: Symphony No. 3- Eroica / How a Great Symphony was Written lecture (Bernstein Century)
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Composer: Ludwig van BeethovenConductor: Leonard Bernstein
Performer: Leonard Bernstein
Orchestra: New York Philharmonic Orchestra
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1999-02-16
Music Label: Sony
Soundtracks:
- Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55: I. Allegro Con Brio
- Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55: II. Marcia Funebre. Adagio Assai
- Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55: III. Scherzo, Allegro Vivace
- Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55: IV. Finale. Allegro Molto
- Symphony No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 55: How A Great Symphony Was Written
Music reviews of Beethoven: Symphony No. 3- Eroica / How a Great Symphony was Written lecture (Bernstein Century)
Music Review: A Benchmark Eroica
Rating: 5 Stars
Few single works of art have assumed so crucial a role -- crucial in the etymological sense, of being "at the crux"-- as Beethoven's Third Symphony. It was one of the greatest leaps forward in the entire history, not only of compostion, but in the arts in general. Yet on examining the symphony, its revolutionary nature is bodied forth in a myriad of smaller touches and a handful of huge masterstrokes. It was the longest symphony written to that date by a considerable margin. Though its scoring was quite conventional-- strings, pairs of flutes, oboes, bassoons, clarinets, trumpets, timpani, and three horns (Mozart and Haydn both had used more than two horns occasionally before), it was how Beethoven deployed them that was revolutionary. The recording on this disc was at one time released coupled with Bernstein's rendition of Beethoven's First Symphony-- and that was instructive, as the spiritual ground covered between the first, dated 1800, and the Third, dated 1804, is immense: it is like Beethoven is speaking a different language, despite the similarities of structure. All four movements of the Eroica are startling, but the first movement is the most so: indeed, it is in the innovations in this Protean movement that the revolutionary nature of Beethoven's art is established. This originality begins with the very first page: the movement begins with two gigantic chords, which Bernstein rightly calls "whipslashes"-- they are both economical and rhetorical, and also serve a technical function: they establish the downbeats that echo throughout the gentle and unstressed pulsations that start below with first theme. The theme is Protean also: it begins by outlining the tonic chord-- the basic harmonic material of tonality-- but then almost as if it gets derailed, after 8 notes on the tonic chord, it drops to the leading tone (D) and then to a note that properly has no place in the "world" of the key of E-flat Major, namely a C-sharp. Much of the rest of the movement is, essentially, an exorcism of, or more precisely, a massaging out, of this "sore thumb" note, which dominates much of the development section to come (relabelled as D-flat). As the opening tune, up to the intrusion of the C-sharp, is essentially a horn call, adding that note is also aberrant (horns of the time in C or F would not have been able to play it!). The second group begins with a seemingly innocuous tripping figure of downward moving dotted three-note groups. This downward droop, in fact, is a reflection of the droop down to C-sharp in the first statement of the first subject; this theme will also paradoxically inaugurate the most turbulent and violent moment in the enormous development section, where the cadential six fortes near the end of the exposition become frank dissonances, and then seem to stalk off, where follows a "new theme". This "new theme" is often cited as an innovation-- you weren't supposed to add a "new theme" in the development (a "rule" that Haydn and Mozart "broke" rather often). But the genius of it is that what seems to be a new theme is in fact a hybrid, a melding of elements from the first subject and the second. (Listen to it-- you will hear aspects of both in it, yet also recognize it as still "new"-- paradoxical also, maybe, but what genius!) This "new theme" returns in the coda later. Some of Beethoven's little stokes have caused some of the most comment: the premonitory horncall of the main theme a measure before the recapitulation (not to mention the irruption of duple time near the end of the Scherzo). But among Beethoven's greatest achievements in this monumental first movement is that it is both spiritual and stirring, utterly intellectually satisfying and rationally structured yet seeming an organic whole, seeming at once both gigantic and yet utterly economical and even terse in pursuing its logic...
Well! I could go on and on, about the amazing Marcia Funebre (one of the two most famous ever written, the other being Chopin's from his B Minor Sonata-- but this by Beethoven is so much finer!)(Bernstein says that it is perfect, as if it were dictated from heaven!)-- the brief mercurial Scherzo with its wonderful horn-calling Trio (horn calls haunt this symphony!) and the monumental Theme and Variations of the finale... but I want to say a word about the performance:
Another reviewer has said that this version is a "sedate" one. I disagree. First of all, I don't look for edgy performances, but performances that try to realize the composer's vision (so to speak!)-- and Bernstein's is perfect. It is very much in the tradition, I think, of Toscanini, and (as with Bernstein's equally magisterial 1960s renditions of the Fifth and Sixth and Seventh) it is in my opinion the greatest actualization of Beethoven's score on record. I often find that too many conductors, in striving to be avant-garde or cutting edge, or to find something of their own in the score, really misread or even distort it. If one wants a fine recording which presents Beethoven's great symphony as he intended it, I cannot think of a better performance.
A note to folks new to classical music: this music must be listened to as a primary activity: no distractions. Turn off the phone, land or cell. Sit comfortably upright in a room that is dim but not dark. Let others in the household know not to disturb you or even enter the room. Sit with your eyes not quite closed. And turn the music up LOUD!!! Even better, if you have fine headphones, use them-- you will hear all the details in this intricate music so much the clearer. Then: REALLY LISTEN-- actively pay attention to the music-- and it will take you on an amazing journey! You will be rewarded with a great artistic experience!
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