Humour in Beethoven's Music

[Sorrano]

The intro to the Fourth Symphony is interesting in this light.

[Michael]

I got a bit of a fright when I saw the first message in this thread. Then I saw the date.
Those blasts from the past are a bit unnerving.

[Sorrano]

I got a bit of a fright when I saw the first message in this thread. Then I saw the date.
Those blasts from the past are a bit unnerving.

Yeah, they do make a person jump. Then I noticed that my entry on the subject the other day was the same as in 2006. I should have read through the thread more carefully, first.

[Megan]

How about the recapitulation in the first movement of the Eroica? The horn attempts to play the main theme, but has come in too early and is interrupted and shouted at by the whole orchestra, before the cellos do the job properly.

106oven, am I right in guessing that you favourite Beethoven piece is, Op. 106 Hammerklavier?

[hal9000]

The development section of the first movement of the SQ in G. Almost by accident the music modulates and the first theme is played in Eb major. The quartet seemingly perturbed by playing the theme in the wrong key go in search of the right key to play it in, and the music modulates through different key areas in search of the elusive tonic. Out of luck, and this pesky tonic being a master hide-and-seeker, the violins have a dialogue with the viola and cello. With a shrug of the shoulder, neither seems to have any clue where the tonic is, when out of nowehere the cello finds the theme in the correct key "hey guys, I found it!", and they all join in a boisterous recapitulation of the theme in G major.

[hal9000]

How about the recapitulation in the first movement of the Eroica? The horn attempts to play the main theme, but has come in too early and is interrupted and shouted at by the whole orchestra, before the cellos do the job properly.

That never really seemed that humorous to me, rather it always felt like a ray of light shining between the rocks and that "shout" is the emergence of the music into the light from the dark recesses of the development section.

[Michael]

Yeah, they do make a person jump. Then I noticed that my entry on the subject the other day was the same as in 2006. I should have read through the thread more carefully, first.

It merely demonstrates that your insights and opinions have lasted nearly eight years. That must count for something!

[AeolianHarp]

Dear Robert;

There is Beethoven's setting for Goethe's "The Flea." The end of the song is absolutely hilarious with Beethoven instructing the pianist to thump two keys at a time with his thumb in order to squash the flea!

I presume this is a leid?

As for belching, we have the opening of the finale of the "Archduke Trio."

Hofrat

Really?! Is that for sure- did he intend that? I have been listening to the Archduke Trio a lot lately and not noticed that.

[AeolianHarp]

I find the Fantasie Opus OP 77 funny- I cannot explain the musical terms being a beginner but there's a bit where the notes get repeated in the bass in a sort of booming style as well as other styles that made me burst out laughing when I first heard it. I do hope it was meant to be humourous and I have not laughed inappropriately at the Maestro's music!

[Albert Gans]

I loved reading all this.... it reminds me of what I answer when people ask me 'Why Beethoven?': there is no human emotion that escaped him in his music, and however serious people take him, he was a man with many moods, including the light ones (remember the nicknames he had for his friends...). No composer I know has this wide a panoply of feelings, thoughts, emotions that he/she can express through music.
Fantastic.

[AeolianHarp]

......there is no human emotion that escaped him in his music, and however serious people take him, he was a man with many moods, including the light ones (remember the nicknames he had for his friends...). No composer I know has this wide a panoply of feelings, thoughts, emotions that he/she can express through music.
Fantastic.

Absolutely true Albert. And this can be found in one sonata, one symphony, one trio...you know? He takes the listener on a journey. Of course other composers convey emotions and thoughts too- I especially rate Chopin and Tchaikovsky for that....but Beethoven..he takes it further than anyone.

[Albert Gans]

Incidentally, I was listening to the Choral Fantasy, op 80 yesterday and it struck me quite a bit of humour is also in there.

[Albert Gans]

Dear Aeolian,

We seem to be reading from the same page often enough I actually made the little comment I made in a hurry and forgot to add exactly what you were saying: each piece is a journey, and can take to from the lowest depths to the highest peaks. Good example would be the Eroica, of course.

[AeolianHarp]

Incidentally, I was listening to the Choral Fantasy, op 80 yesterday and it struck me quite a bit of humour is also in there.

[AeolianHarp]

Dear Aeolian,

We seem to be reading from the same page often enough I actually made the little comment I made in a hurry and forgot to add exactly what you were saying: each piece is a journey, and can take to from the lowest depths to the highest peaks. Good example would be the Eroica, of course.

Yes, the Eroica is brilliant!