Discuss ways in which the first movement of Beethoven's Third Symphony 'Eroica' is revolutionary

The symphony would improve immeasurably (it lasts an entire hour) if Beethoven could bring himself to shorten it, and to bring more light, clarity and unity into the whole. 

In reply to this comment Beethoven proclaimed, ‘if I write a symphony and long it will be found short enough’, and an additional performance note was added to the beginning of the score.

This symphony, which was purposefully written to be much longer than is usual, should be performed nearer the beginning rather than the end of a concert and shortly after and overture, and aria, and a concerto; if it heard too late it will lose its own purposed effect because the listener will already be tired out by the preceding performances.      

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21 was first performed on April 2nd 1800 at a concert in Vienna.  It is described as being “orthodox” in structure and compared to the symphonies Mozart and Haydn.  Due to this almost text book sonata form used in the first movement it will be possible to show how Beethoven’s third symphony is more revolutionary than those written previously.

The instrumentation for the two symphonies is the same, but they are used in different manners.  The First symphony tends to have the strings as the leading part of the orchestra, at times, for example bars 78 – 81, consist of strings and oboe only.  However, critics at the time stated ‘the wind instruments were used far to much, so that it sounded more like wind-band music than music for full orchestra’, yet there are only six bars in the first movement that contain no strings, bars 172 – 178.  In the third symphony the woodwind and brass begin to become more independent as an orchestral section, yet there are over 70 bars in which the orchestra fall down just to strings.  

The first movement of Symphony 1 is 298 bars, whereas the first movement of Symphony 3 is 691 bars.  This is obviously effects the length of the piece in performance, the first movement of Symphony 1 is 07:58 minutes in length when performed by the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich and conducted by David Zinman, whereas the third Symphony’s first movement is twice as long at 15:34 minutes.  As for speed the first symphony starts as an Adagio molto (    = 88) before breaking into an Allegro con brio (    = 122).  The third symphony begins straight away as an Allegro con brio at       = 60.

A slow introduction starts the first symphony, beginning with a C7 chord that resolves down a fifth to and F, creating a perfect cadence on the subdominant.  This begins a series of secondary dominant harmonies.  The introduction ‘suspends the definition of the tonic until the first note of the Allegro’.  The final chord succession consists of the woodwind echoing the strings, which finally takes us into a perfect cadence in the tonic as the first theme enters and the exposition begins at bar 13.  It is at this point that the speed increases.  It may be noted that most of the instruments are doubled up in octaves.

There are four bars before the first end of the repeat bars appears in the third symphony, the introduction basically being the tonic chord repeated.  This lack of introduction is quite different from the classical sonata form previously seen, and unlike the first symphony, the home key is established immediately.  

Once the expositions have been reached there are many more contrasting differences.  The length is the most obvious factor, Symphony 1’s exposition being 96 bars in length and Symphony 3’s being 155.  ‘Most movements in sonata form contain at least two clearly defined themes’, and this is true in the first symphony.  The first theme appears in the first violins at bar 13, and the second, again by the first violins at the upbeat to bar 34.  The first theme in the third symphony is quite apparent also, primarily displayed by the cellos in bars 2-5, although it is the first four notes that are often considered as the theme.  As for the second theme, there are several possibilities.  Some believe it enters at bar 45 with the oboes, and initially this is what I believed.  However, some view this as a ‘bridge to the secondary theme section’, which begins at bar 57.  When comparing the sketches made by Beethoven this theory of bars 45 – 57 being a bridge looks true, due to the theme of                    descending not appearing in his sketches.  Yet                  ascending from bar 57 does appear in both the sketch and the score.  The debate over the second theme still remains, but the point is that the second theme is not clearly defined.  

There are several factors in the development in Symphony 3 that makes it revolutionary.  A third theme appears at bar 284, normally all themes are expressed in the exposition.   The development is 245 bars long and outweighs the exposition and recapitulation, a length unheard of in sonata form before.  The first symphony’s development is 69 bars in length, approximately two thirds of the length of both the exposition and recapitulation.  Techniques used in these developments include, among others, modulations.  The first continues to flow smoothly but the third does contain some abrupt changes and dissonant chords, for example, from bar 248-280.  The third uses a great deal of syncopated rhythms, for example, bars 160-166 and 292-299, and hemiolas in bars 251 and 252, which are not apparent in the first symphony.  The use of tremolo on the strings is used to accent the developing melodic themes, for example, from bar 300 in the Eroica Symphony, rather that just adding depth to the harmony as in the first symphony, for example, second violins and violas from bar 121.  Changes of register of the themes vary in both symphonies, particularly as it moves through the different instrument.  Another feature of the development in Symphony 3 is how it is structured.

Thus, in this symphony, after a short introductory transition (mm. 152-165), there is a development which is divided into four major sections.  The first and second sections (mm. 166-219 and mm.220-283) begin in similar fashion, but while the first ends on the type of cadence that introduces the second tonality (mm. 43-45) the second contains the affective climax of the whole piece, with rhythmic and tonal chaos emphasized by horrible dissonance.  The third and fourth sections (mm. 284-337 and mm. 338-397, respectively) clearly back away from the climax with the introduction of the famous new material in the third, and with and enormous dominant preparation in the fourth. 

The recapitulation of the first symphony is not surprisingly as one would expect it.  It enters at bar 178 with the whole orchestra playing the first theme in unison.  It has been stated ‘the recapitulation may not be a literal repeat of the exposition but will restate its main thoughts in essentially the same manner.  To achieve a feeling of finality it now stresses the tonic key’.   

In the third symphony the horn plays the main theme four bars before the recapitulation actually begins.  At times it almost seems as we are still in the developmental stage as abrupt changes in key continue to appear, particularly within bars 401-16 where the piece moves from E♭ to F to D♭.

The coda of the third Symphony is in some ways unorthodox as well.  Forty bars in length it still contains variations and modulations.  A succession of E♭ to D♭ to C occurs between bars 555 and 563.  Yet the first symphony uses more cadential movement around the home key to quickly establish a closing feel in 28 bars.

Another important aspect in the two pieces is Beethoven’s use of dynamics.  In the third symphony the dynamics can sometimes be very contrasting and sudden, for example, around bar 50 everything is piano and marked dolce, until in bar 53 the oboe comes in sforzando, followed by the clarinets and bassoons, the whole orchestra play fortissimo at bars 55 and 56, then everything drops down to piano at bar 57.  In the first symphony dynamics tend to go from loud to quiet with sforzando normally appearing in forte sections.

Both the first and third symphonies have been characterised as heroic but the Eroica more so. But even with their few similarities it is clear to see that the opening movement in Symphony No. 3 is more revolutionary in comparison to the textbook sonata form of the first movement in Beethoven’s first symphony.  Although many analysist’s have studied the latter piece and stated different and sometimes contrasting facts about it, Reinhard G. Pauly has summed it up well.

The Eroica’s length, the nature if the thematic material and its manipulation, the emotional depth and range, the harmonic daring, and the handling of the orchestra – all these set it apart from any earlier symphonies.  

From all of the above information it is clear to see that Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3, Op 55, ‘Eroica’ has many revolutionary features.  It’s length, its tonality, its difficulty to play, its development section, the alterations made to the sonata form, the new theme entering in the development, the abrupt changes of key, and its use of expression.  Many of the features in this symphony would normally be associated more with a Romantic symphony than a Classical, and this final quotation also shows how many people have described it as revolutionary.    

The Eroica’s length, the nature of the thematic material and it’s manipulation, the emotional depth and range, the harmonic daring, and the handling of the orchestra – all these set it apart from any earlier symphonies.