first fymphony

[cyrano]

structurally this symphony adheres to the traditional sonata form as i have done an extensive analysis to determine this. i am however stuck in describing the material that follows the second theme group in the exposition. it begins at measure 77 on.
any insight?
i have my own ideas but i am curious about others.

[Peter]

This passage is highly effective, flirting with the minor then major tonalities and the material drives from the 2nd subject - I suppose you could call the passage an episode.

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'Man know thyself'

[Tim]

In this sudden change of tonality, Beethoven shows one of his real trademark shocks in Sonata Form. In a Mozart SF movement, there would usually be a short codetta to finish the exposition following the second theme. Beethoven extended the length and scale of the codetta (and even more, the coda at the end of the movement). It is amazing every time though. You never learn to expect it. I know many 1st movements (all of the piano sonatas and symphonies), but when I listen to the repertoire I am less familiar with (quartets etc) I always fail to see it coming and it comes as a kind of shock. For me, that is one of the great things about him: the lack of predictability in his music. Completely amazing.

Check out the opus 53 1st movement for this. The coda at the end of the movement is very long and would have been a GREAT surprise to his audiences at the time.

Tim.