Beethoven - Symphony No. 9 'Choral' (1824)

Question 1

What time period does Beethoven’s Ninth belong to?

Answer 1

Early Romantic

Question 2

What woodwind does Beethoven’s Ninth use?

Answer 2

2 flutes (dbl. piccolo)
2 oboes
2 clarinets (A, Bb and C)
2 bassoons (dbl. contrabassoon)

Question 3

What can be observed about the woodwind from the Ninth?

Answer 3

Double woodwind, however there is a lot of doubling: the flute doubles on piccolo, there are 3 types of clarinet (A, Bb, C) and the bassoon doubles on contrabassoon.

Question 4

What can be observed about the brass in Beethoven’s Ninth?

Answer 4

He favours brass more: typically there is double brass (Horns and Trumpets) but Beethoven uses 4 horns (3 keys- D Bb and E), 2 trumpets (common with D and Bb) and 3 trombones.

Question 5

What can be learned from the percussion section of Beethoven’s Ninth?

Answer 5

He did make the expanded percussion part of his regular symphonic voice. Whilst timpani is common, the use of bass drum, triangle and cymbals (especially in just the fourth movement) reflected his more ambitious use of percussion to drive his pieces.

Question 6

What instrument family was an unusual choice for the Ninth?

Answer 6

Chorus and soloists - this was arguably the first symphony in history - or at the very least, the earliest notable use - to effectively integrate the choir into a symphony.

Question 7

How many movements are in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony?

Answer 7

There are 4 movements
I: Allegro
II: Scherzo: molto vivace
III: Adagio molto e cantabile
IV: Allegro – Andante – Allegro

Question 8

What can be learned from the movements of Beethoven’s Ninth?

Answer 8

The middle 2 movements have been swapped, with the dance being the second movement and the slow movement being the third.

Question 9

What is the key of movement I in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9?

Answer 9

I: (d minor)

Question 10

What can be learned from the Ninth’s tonal plan?

Answer 10

I: Allegro (d)
II: Scherzo: molto vivace (d)
III: Adagio molto e cantabile (Bb)
IV: Allegro – Andante – Allegro (d/D)

• The slow movement key is the submediant key (unusual)
• The final movement has a ‘From Darkness to Light’ approach - minor to major.

Question 11

What is the form of movement I of Beethoven’s Ninth?

Answer 11

Sonata Form

Question 12

What is the form of movement II of Beethoven’s Ninth?

Answer 12

Scherzo form (Scherzo-Trio-Scherzo). However Beethoven breaks the rules - rather than rounded binary, he has a 5-part fugue in sonata form for the scherzo.

Question 13

What is the form of movement III of Beethoven’s Ninth?

Answer 13

Themes and Variations

Question 14

What is the form of movement IV in Beethoven’s Ninth?

Answer 14

It’s close to a Themes and Variations. However, it doesn’t really rigidly follow the expected plan. The music tends to reflect the text of Schiller’s Ode to Joy, making the music linked to the ongoing words.

Question 15

What is unusual about the harmony in the opening of movement I and end of movement II of Beethoven’s Ninth?

Answer 15

The use of open fifths in the gives a feeling of no clear key. Remember that the third of the chord dictates the tonality (major/minor) of the chord.

Question 16

What is an example of Beethoven’s chromatic language?

Answer 16

• At Bar 24, Beethoven uses a Neapolitan chord, but has multiple extensions on top such as the added 9th and major 7th.
• In bar 27 he uses a chromatic mediant (C#o7) resolving to the dominant.
• In 31.2-33.1 he uses the chromatic mediant again, but resolves to another diminished 7th a fifth higher (g#o7) before resolving to a cadential 6/4. This creates a chromatically rising bassline (G-G#-A)

Question 17

What is the schreckensfanfare?

Answer 17

A very dissonant chord that begins movement IV by combining Bb Major with D minor.

Question 18

What are some unusual features of tonality in the Ninth Symphony?

Answer 18

• From Darkness to Light - D minor tonic key, moving to D Major in the finale.
• Slow movement is in the submediant major, not relative major.
• There is a Bb Major version of the main theme in movement I, a very unusual surprise.

Question 19

What can we learn about Beethoven’s use of melody in the Ninth?

Answer 19

Whilst he has used periods/sentences in his other music, he tends to favour the development of small motivic ideas in the 9th. In many instances, some of these are only 3-4 note ideas. This is due to his use of polyphony/counterpoint throughout. The Ode to Joy in movement 4 is more structured like a period, but it’s largely just repetition with a strong cadence at the end.

Question 20

How does Beethoven use folk music in the Ninth?

Answer 20

A Slavic folk theme is used in the second movement (Scherzo)

Question 21

What brass is used in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9?

Answer 21

4 horns (D, Bb and E)
2 trumpets (D and Bb)
3 trombones

Question 22

What percussion is used in Beethoven’s Symphony No.9?

Answer 22

Timpani
Bass drum
Triangle
Cymbals

Question 23

What is the key of movement II of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9?

Answer 23

II: (d minor)

Question 24

What is the key of movement III in Beethoven’s Symphony No.9?

Answer 24

III: (Bb Major)

Question 25

What is the key of movement IV in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9?

Answer 25

IV: (d minor/D Major)