Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven)
Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C Minor was written in 1804-1807. It is Beethoven's Opus 67 and was dedicated to F. J. von Lobkowitz and Graf (Count) A. von Rasumovsky.
The symphony is one of the most popular and well-known compositions in the history of music. Musical critics and audiences realized its genius soon after its appearance in 1808; it was described at the time by E.T.A. Hoffmann as "one of the most important works of the age." Its reputation has only grown in the two centuries since.
The symphony is immediately recognizable by its universally-known four-note opening motif. Because of the motif's resemblance to the morse code for the letter V (dot dot dot dash), it was used as a shorthand for victory to open the BBC's radio broadcasts during World War II, an idea of William Stephenson's.
Premiere and critical reception
The Fifth Symphony premiered December 22, 1808 during a mammoth concert, consisting entirely of Beethoven premieres, at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna. Other highlights included the Choral Fantasy, the Sixth Symphony, and the Fourth Piano Concerto with Beethoven as pianist -- making his final concert appearance.
There was little critical response of any sort to the symphony's first appearance, perhaps due to the poor playing of the orchestra (they had only one rehearsal before the concert) and the exhaustion of the audience from the long program. However, a year and a half later another performance resulted in a rapturous review by E.T.A. Hoffmann in the sonata form and opens with a four-note motif, one of the most famous in western music:
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This opening statement has been described as "Fate knocking at the door", which serves to give imagery to the dark, tense, and energetic mood of the movement. The motif starts a headlong rush to the end of the first movement, giving off an aura of inevitability. The four-note motif is repeated in various forms throughout the symphony and unites it thematically.
Second movement
The second movement is a gentle, lyrical movement which follows a theme and variations form. This relatively relaxed and confident sequence is a respite from the darkness of the first movement. Near the end, the pulse of the music quickens as a mysterious mood is introduced, but the heroic, confident atmosphere returns to finish the movement.
Third movement
The third movement is a scherzo, which returns to the dark mood of the first movement. It opens with winds and strings tossing phrases between each other. Then the horns loudly announce the main theme of the movement, and the music proceeds from there. Near the end of the movement, the music drops to a whisper before slowly building in a huge crescendo and uninterruptedly transitioning to the fourth movement. This final passage takes the music from C minor to the C major of the finale (Beethoven had tried a similar key change from B flat minor to B flat major at the opening of his Symphony No. 4).
Fourth movement
The allegro finale is pervaded by feelings of ecstatic glory. It is interrupted by a brief, haunting reprise of the scherzo theme before the symphony ends with repeated triumphant chords in C major.
Influence and legacy
Groundbreaking technically and emotionally, the Fifth Symphony had a large influence on composers and music critics. It specifically impacted on the works of Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Bruckner, and Mahler. The symphony stands with the Third Symphony and Ninth Symphony as the most revolutionary of Beethoven's symphonies, and indeed, all his compositions.
Today, Fifth Symphony is a staple of the orchestral repertoire, and is likely played more often than any other piece for orchestra. Because it is easily accessible and appreciated, and emotionally uplifting, it is also an audience favorite.
