SOP - 183 Beethoven's 5th - Movement 2 - From Struggle to Victor

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Artist: Bob Tozier
School: North Allegheny

Notes:

https://switchedonpop.com/episodes/the-5th-movement-2-struggle-to-victory

In the first movement of his famous symphony, Beethoven sets up a battle between hope and despair. The dark side of that spectrum is represented by the anguished opening notes of the first movement: DUN DUN DUNNN. Over the course of the next three movements, Beethoven keeps trying to overcome his dark fate with bright major melodies, and keeps getting defeated.

With each high and low, we begin to understand that this battle isn't just about major and minor keys, it's about the will to live in the face of adversity. How do you perform such an emotional rollercoaster? We talk to the members of the New York Philharmonic about what it's like to sound a symphony whose stakes are life and death.

Comments

Sarah Feick from: North Allegheny - posted: January 12, 2021
Very cool info about the dynamics of the song

Julia Maletta from: North Allegheny - posted: January 14, 2021
I love that we're able to hear the battle that Beethoven wrote the movement about through the use of dynamics in the piece.

Reka Gotz from: North Allegheny - posted: January 15, 2021
One of my favorite aspects of classical music is that, although it can be appreciated for the sound, you can gain an entirely different and more meaningful perspective once the intention behind that sound is understood. I love being able to hear narratives and imagery within music without the need for lyrics.

Kassi Barry from: North Allegheny - posted: January 18, 2021
As a musican I can picture the people playing feeling the emotions in the music the same way someone singing feels what they are saying in the lyrics. Feeling the Highest highs and the lowest lows.. very powerful

Nicholas Palermo from: North Allegheny - posted: January 22, 2021
I think it is interesting how music can be understood and heard in a different light once you now the story behind it. I've always loved this movement but hearing it again knowing more of the purpose, adds so much to the experience.

Olivia Belcher from: North Allegheny - posted: January 23, 2021
The emotions in this piece are so vivid - the dynamics really bring it together, and I love how different the movemnets have been so far, while still telling a cohesive story.

Rohan Puri from: North Allegheny - posted: January 23, 2021
I could feel the epic story behind the piece and knowing that I was correct in feeling the story of a battle or struggle for victory, shows the power of Beethoven's ability to tell a story with his music.

Nick Brar from: North Allegheny - posted: January 23, 2021
There was so much behind the piece of music. You can feel the story of the battle for victory. Beethoven was very talented and could easily express emotions through his writings.

Luke Hartle from: North Allegheny - posted: January 25, 2021
This is movement is very great for its use of dynamics. You can tell which side is winnning by just listing to it. I like how the story is much more that just major and minor keys fighting each other.

Eric schaefer from: North Allegheny - posted: January 25, 2021
This piece is very imersive you can feel what is being told by the music. Thats one thing I look for in music. It makes it that much more interesting to listen to.

Nick Faber from: North Allegheny - posted: January 25, 2021
I never realized that Beethoven created the dynamic of hope and despair within his 5th symphony. It's much more interesting and moving to listen to knowing there's a storyline and imagery behind the music.

Erik Bloomquist from: North Allegheny - posted: January 26, 2021
Having the ability to tell a story of overcoming adverstiy through instrumental music is a testament to Beethoven's genius. Musicians must really understand and connect with the music to perform this emotional rollercoaster of the piece.

Grace Elliott from: North Allegheny - posted: January 26, 2021
Very very emotional and so expressive. I think I might actually start to listen to classical music.

Vaishnavee Sundararaman from: North Allegheny - posted: January 26, 2021
I feel like something that is important in classical music that isn't really so prominent in pop music today(no shade tho haha) is just having the ability to show every little color the composer writes. It's really important in symphonies such as the Beethoven symphony No. 5. These compositions show how much of a genius thses composers were. They just pour out everything they feel into these famous pieces.

Hunter Badamo from: North Allegheny - posted: January 27, 2021
I think composers like Beethoven were really good at displaying emotions through music, but we shouldn't just neglect great writers that are around today. If you feel something when listening to an artist's music, then they already have a knack for making true beauty.

Amy Hendricks from: North Allegheny - posted: January 27, 2021
Beethoven was really a genius. As much as I love to write I think I'd find it hard to put so much meaning and emotion into such a long work. It's really amazing

Bri Cobbey from: North Allegheny - posted: January 27, 2021
The use of dynamics and different stylistic techniques, such as legato vs. spiccato, really help when trying to convey emotion.

Josi Pietrzyk from: - posted: January 27, 2021
The dynamics are super tasty. I enjoy very much. #bountifulharvest #romancatholicholiday #beetovenbebussin

Rae Dwyer from: North Allegheny - posted: January 27, 2021
As a song writer I love creating emotion through lyrics, but in this piece I felt the intense feelings and a whole story without a single word.

Kai Su from: North Allegheny - posted: January 27, 2021
We worked on the main viola exerpt in this movement in PYSO during quarentine. The hardest thing to think about was keeping the same phrasings and intentions of the main theme in each of the rhythmic variations.

Cassandra Pultorak from: North Allegheny - posted: January 27, 2021
Dramatic dynamics change everything and this proved it.

Clay Sheleheda from: North Allegheny - posted: January 28, 2021
Dynamics are always a very important tool for a composer to use. You can really bring out emotion with them.

Hyunjun Chang from: North Allegheny - posted: January 28, 2021
As stated, I really love how the transition from struggle to victory is so starkly different. The 2nd movement begins with the cello section and very smooth. Then the variations take place and it is really interesting to see how each complements yet differs one another.

Hyunjun Chang from: North Allegheny - posted: January 28, 2021
As mentioned before, i really love how the contrast in the 2nd movement makes an appearance that exudes a victorious ambience compared to the hectic nature of the 1st. It begins with andante con moso with the cello section, and the movement progresses with other variations that elicit a rich tone and melody.

Nathan Lam from: North Allegheny - posted: January 28, 2021
Beethoven was something else to be able to put that much emotion and meaning into his music

Sophia Elliott from: North Allegheny - posted: January 28, 2021
You can tell Beethoven put his heart and soul into every note he wrote. Everything is so deliberate and beautiful.