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MUSIC OF THE CONCERT SYMPHONY NO. 9, IN D MINOR, “CHORAL,” Op. 125 Ludwig Van Beethoven (Born at Bonn on Dec. 16, 1776; (?) died in Vienna on March 26, 1827.) P> EETHOVEN’S ninth symphony, with final chorus, on Schiller’s Ode to Joy, was written in 1823, and the score dedicated to Friedrich Wilhelm III, king of Prussia. The work was first performed at the Karnthnerthor-Theatre in Vienna on May 7, 1824. The first movement Allegro, ma non troppo, un poco maestoso, opens with a soft rustling in the second violins, celli and horns, against which the first violins and double-basses keep repeating more and more hurriedly a fragment of the Principal theme of the movement. Then the full orchestra launches out in fortissimo upon the theme itself, in unison and octaves. As soon as the theme has been completely set forth, the soft rustling of the first figure returns, and is followed by a second exposition of the theme. The first part is followed by a long and exceedingly elaborate, free fantasia. The third part begins fortissimo in the full orchestra, with a simple return of the Principal theme, only, instead of the introductory rustling, we now have a chord in the major mode. The movement ends with a long and elaborate coda, which, according to Beethoven’s later wont, is essentially a second free fantasia, in which the themes are worked out in a new way. An exceedingly dramatic peroration on a march-like variant of a portion of the principal theme brings the movement to a close. The second movement Molto vivace, in D minor, is really a Scherzo, though not called so in the score. This famous scherzo, which is enormously extended in its development, is built on three leading themes, the peculiar rhythm of the “dotted-triplet” being prominent, either in melody or accompaniment, through them all. The second theme is a more legato melody, which the wind instruments as it' were, construct for themselves out of some tricksy play the Strings make with the triplet rhythm. The third is a bold, buoyant theme played by the wind instruments against a persistent assertion of the dotted-triplet by all the strings. The Trio of the Scherzo is a Presto movement on a short theme which bears some resemblance to that of the Finale, on the Ode to Joy, and is pitted against a curious, almost grotesque little countertheme, taken from a Russian peasant dance. The third movement, Adagio molto e cantabile, is in a form absolutely original with Beethoven. It might be described as a double theme with variations. After two introductory measures, the strings announce the divine cantilena of the first theme. The second theme, a melody of far lighter character, is given out, first by the second violins and violas, various wind instruments coming in later to add richness to the coloring. Nothing could be in stronger contrast than these two themes, the first all profound Sentiment, the most expressive melody in all Beethoven’s orchestral writing, the second graceful, moodily serene and beautiful, but wholly without the emotional depth of the other. With the return to Adagio we come to the second Variation of the first theme,— a deeply thoughtful and solemn contrapuntal Variation in the wind instruments, accompanied by sporadic rhythmical pizzicato notes in the strings. A luminous transition brings in the third Variation, in which the wood-wind now chants the theme in almost its original form, whilst the first violins play a still more elaborate Variation on it than they did before. The stern summons sounds forth once more, and is again replied to by solemn minor harmonies, which again give way to the further melodious development of the first theme, which goes on with hardly another break to the end of the movement.
