CDLVI. BEETHOVEN, Ludwig van: Symphony #2 in D Major, Op. 36

CDLVI. BEETHOVEN, Ludwig van (1770-1827)

Symphony #2 in D Major, Op. 36 (1801-02)
1. Adagio molto -- Allegro con brio
2. Larghetto
3. Scherzo: Allegro
4. Allegro molto
Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra
Andrés Orozco-Estrada, cond.
(35:28)

[for the piano arrangement, see Post CCLXVII; for posts on the other eight symphonies, see the Index.]

We are on the cusp of the Early and Middle periods -- Beethoven has replaced the traditional minuet with a true scherzo, and the music is filled with humor and a gravitas looking forward to the mighty Eroica.

The audience was probably both delighted and confused. From a contemporary Viennese critic:

"a hideously writhing, wounded dragon that refuses to die, but writhing in its last agonies and, in the fourth movement, bleeding to death."

First movement

A confident announcement in D Major, with passages in the winds and strings following the ff blasts on the tonic ...

He creeps on to B-Flat Major from the dominant:

and finally returns to tonic for the opening 13-bar Allegro theme:

second theme in the dominant:

The development eventually introduces the second theme in G Major. Notice the Haydnesque treatment with the light winds alternating with stacccato triplets in the violins:

Second movement

In the dominant, a passionate, full-bodied, lyrical theme -- first in the strings, then oboes and bassoons. A variation filled with longing leading tones follows, and then Beethoven is off on a rhapsodic variations treatment:

Third movement

Look how Beethoven moves the staccato 1/4-notes between violins and horns:

The Trio features light winds followed by gruff strings:

Fourth movement

A sharp trilled motif followed by a bouncing 1/4-note phrase ...

This is followed by a rich, sweeping theme in the strings and winds:

Return to the recap with a humorous tweet:

which he uses again in the Coda, in closer proximity to the trill theme: