Tutorial6wk7
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Tutorial 6 Week 7 The acknowledged periodization model states that Beethoven’s output over the years can be split into three distinct periods of time. Each period contains very different developments and innovation in musical composition and style. Beethoven’s ‘heroic’ or middle period spans roughly from 18021812 and is characterized by elements such as a sense of a journey or struggle, dramatic emotion, grander proportions, contrast, elements of the sublime and significant development melodically and harmonically. Beethoven’s String Quartet in E flat, op. 74 ‘The Harp’ written during 1809, portrays the possibility of being a part of an elusive facet in the latter half of the ‘heroic’ period which uses lyricism to display heroic traits. The work also foreshadows at developments to come in Beethoven’s late period. The ‘Harp’ Quartet is unique in that it doesnt display the typical extrovert qualities of Beethoven’s ‘heroic’ period but instead shows Beethoven using lyricism to portray qualities of resistance and struggle. This is partly due to the historical background of the time with the trauma of the war influencing Beethoven and forcing him to retreat away from outside disturbances. Outwardly the work appears elegant and relatively simple however there are many innovative uses of rhythm and original use of musical technique that boosts this work to the complexity of a work written in the ‘heroic’ period. The work opens with a slow section Poco Adagio that seeks to portray a mood of calm while Beethoven injects certain ‘surprises’ here and there through a sudden forte chord as well as some chromaticism that builds a certain tension leading into the Allegro section. The qualities attached to the namesake the ‘Harp’ is achieved through Beethoven’s first ever use of extended pizzicato in a string quartet where the instrument parts meld to sound as one instrument. Later on in the work Beethoven increases the complexity of the pizzicato sections with a buildup of rhythms which create a feeling of increased pace and urgency. This effectively does create the ‘heroic’ quality of leading a journey to the end and portrays an individuality in this first movement. It would not be entirely practical to single out a ‘mini’ period after Beethoven’s ‘heroic’ period and attempt to place the ‘Harp’ Quartet as being after the ‘heroic’ period. If Beethoven’s middle period were to be seen in a much broader sense under the historical backdrop of war and unrest then it would make sense for Beethoven’s music to shift between certain qualities of extroverted drama and passionate struggle as well as the no less powerful lyrical, inward struggles of man and the outside world.
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Transcript of Tutorial6wk7
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Tutorial6Week7TheacknowledgedperiodizationmodelstatesthatBeethovensoutputovertheyearscanbesplitintothreedistinctperiodsoftime.Eachperiodcontainsverydifferentdevelopmentsandinnovationinmusicalcompositionandstyle.Beethovensheroicormiddleperiodspansroughlyfrom18021812andischaracterizedbyelementssuchasasenseofajourneyorstruggle,dramaticemotion,granderproportions,contrast,elementsofthesublimeandsignificantdevelopmentmelodicallyandharmonically.BeethovensStringQuartetinEflat,op.74TheHarpwrittenduring1809,portraysthepossibilityofbeingapartofanelusivefacetinthelatterhalfoftheheroicperiodwhichuseslyricismtodisplayheroictraits.TheworkalsoforeshadowsatdevelopmentstocomeinBeethovenslateperiod.TheHarpQuartetisuniqueinthatitdoesntdisplaythetypicalextrovertqualitiesofBeethovensheroicperiodbutinsteadshowsBeethovenusinglyricismtoportrayqualitiesofresistanceandstruggle.ThisispartlyduetothehistoricalbackgroundofthetimewiththetraumaofthewarinfluencingBeethovenandforcinghimtoretreatawayfromoutsidedisturbances.Outwardlytheworkappearselegantandrelativelysimplehowevertherearemanyinnovativeusesofrhythmandoriginaluseofmusicaltechniquethatbooststhisworktothecomplexityofaworkwrittenintheheroicperiod.TheworkopenswithaslowsectionPocoAdagiothatseekstoportrayamoodofcalmwhileBeethoveninjectscertainsurpriseshereandtherethroughasuddenfortechordaswellassomechromaticismthatbuildsacertaintensionleadingintotheAllegrosection.ThequalitiesattachedtothenamesaketheHarpisachievedthroughBeethovensfirsteveruseofextendedpizzicatoinastringquartetwheretheinstrumentpartsmeldtosoundasoneinstrument.LateronintheworkBeethovenincreasesthecomplexityofthepizzicatosectionswithabuildupofrhythmswhichcreateafeelingofincreasedpaceandurgency.Thiseffectivelydoescreatetheheroicqualityofleadingajourneytotheendandportraysanindividualityinthisfirstmovement.ItwouldnotbeentirelypracticaltosingleoutaminiperiodafterBeethovensheroicperiodandattempttoplacetheHarpQuartetasbeingaftertheheroicperiod.IfBeethovensmiddleperiodweretobeseeninamuchbroadersenseunderthehistoricalbackdropofwarandunrestthenitwouldmakesenseforBeethovensmusictoshiftbetweencertainqualitiesofextroverteddramaandpassionatestruggleaswellasthenolesspowerfullyrical,inwardstrugglesofmanandtheoutsideworld.
