CLXXXIV. BEETHOVEN, Ludwig van: Symphony #4 in B-Flat Major, Op. 60

CLXXXIV. BEETHOVEN, Ludwig van (1770-1827)

Symphony #4 in B-Flat Major, Op. 60 (1806)
1. Adagio -- Allegro vivace
2. Adagio
3. Scherzo-trio: Allegro vivace
4. Allegro ma non troppo
Frankfurt Radio Symphony
Andrés Orozco-Estrada, cond.
(36:07)

First Movement

Compare this to the opening phrase of Mahler's First (Post XXI):

Amazing coincidence, huh?

**

Beethoven gets things moving with a forceful simple V-I progression, followed by a bouncy theme in the violins:

then in the development, there's this weirdly unstable V-I to D Major!

An absolutely amazing enharmonic transition from a vii°/V to an F-Sharp Major (dominant) in B Major (with a little timpani solo added in!) before he slides back to B-Flat in a 6/4 position ...

Second Movement

A beautiful cantabile Adagio:

Third Movement

A rousing scherzo:

and a slightly melancholy Trio:

Fourth Movement

Bat-out-of-hell tempo; delightful trade-off between strings and winds, and a melody of mostly arpeggiated 16th-notes ... also note at Bar 5, the phrase Beethoven introduces is an unusually weird seven-bars long, instead of eight!