Homework assignment to be completed prior to Jan. 6 class
Assignment to be completed before second class, with a guide for the written essay so you're better prepared for our discussion, as well as listening to Beethoven's First Symphony prior to class.
For class on Wednesday, Jan. 6:
1. Read Lockwood, pp. 3-31
Questions or points for discussion from the reading:
What are the features in general of Beethoven's symphonies that appeal to listeners, according to Lockwood? Can you explain each of these features?
What, according to Lockwood, was Beethoven's overarching goal --his "artistic vision" concerning the genre of the symphony?
When Beethoven debuted his First Symphony, why were the stakes so high? Were there a lot of symphonies by other composers to compete with him? Can you name some that might have been particularly famous then?
Lockwood refers to Beethoven's desire to be "Beethoven ipse" ("Beethoven because of he himself" is an apt, if awkward transation). Can you say more about this in your own words?
What were some of the ways that Beethoven was "living in changing times" as a young composer in the 1790s, after his move to Vienna?
Consider the timeline of the nine Symphonies: between 1800 and 1812, Beethoven wrote eight of his nine symphonies, and then, after a hiatus of quite a few years, his Ninth. How did this illustrate his "persistent refusal to let his legacy be shaped by contingency?"
Who were some of the authors who were influenced by Beethoven's symphonies?
Can you explain what the anonymous critic meant in describing Symphonies as "a triumph of this art?" Why do you think there was a need for the critic to cite Beethoven as one who "has made this great field of instrumental music his own?"
Lockwood discusses the German philosopher Artur Schopenhauer, noting that Beethoven was that philosopher's "favorite composer." Schopenhauer famously noted that music, of all the arts, comes closest to his concept of "the Will" as the driving force within humanity and the natural world. How does the quote from Schopenhauer (pp. 12-13) seem to reinforce this?
The lengthy section on "Models and Movement Plans" is focused on Beethoven's compositional process, which has been much studied through his surviving sketchbooks, in which one can see musical ideas for various pieces as they evolved, or were discarded--including some material for most of the nine Symphonies. While much of this discussion is a bit technical for non-specialists, what is the main point about Beethoven's symphonies in general that we can glean?
What is meant by the term "characteristic" or "programmatic" Symphony? Which two of the nine Beethoven symphonies does Lockwood single out as possible candidates for this classification?
Chapter 1: The First Symphony
"Symphony, Opera, and Drama at Bonn"
In this section, can you describe the young Beethoven's experience in an orchestra in his hometown of Bonn? What were concerts that featured symphonies (which were still rare) like in terms of the audience?
What composers were the young Beethoven's models?
What was the significance of the poet and playwright Friedrich Schiller for young Beethoven?
2. Listen online to Beethoven, Symphony no. 1 in C Major (all four movements)
This will be a "cold" listening experience, in which you are encountering this symphony likely for the first time. Try to notice as much as you can about it, and follow as much of the musical material as you can. In class on Jan. 6 we will explore it more deeply, but this will give you an introduction to the work.