English Commentary by Sergio Cánovas

Beethoven’s Symphony No.3 was written between 1803-4, being premiered on December 1804, in a private performance in the palace of Beethoven’s patron Prince Lobkowitz. The first public interpretation took place on April 7 of 1805 in the Theater an der Wien. Reception of the work was very mixed, with some hailing it as a masterpiece while others negated it had any artistic merits. However, with the time, It became considered a landmark in the transition between the Classical and the Romantic era. It is also often considered to be the first Romantic symphony. Beethoven originally dedicated the work to Napoleon Bonaparte, who he believed embodied the democratic and anti-monarchical ideals of the French Revolution. Later he dropped the dedication, but still put the title «Bonaparte» to the piece. However, when Napoleon crowned himself as an Emperor in May 1804, Beethoven angrily scratched-out the dedication, adding in 1806 the subtitle «Heroic Symphony, composed to celebrate the memory of a great man», that man probably being Napoleon before he became emperor. The work is divided in four movement, being longer, more ambitious and daring than any piece Beethoven had written. 

The first movement is written in an expanded sonata form. Opens with a brief introduction of two E flat major chords. The cellos present a majestic main theme, followed by a martial and imposing second theme, full of the flavour and energy the French martial music. Unusually for the time, Beethoven introduces a dreamy and lyrical third theme, creating deep contrast. Follows an extensive cadence based on the main theme, reaching a powerful climax with six consecutive sforzando chords. Follows a complete reexposition, as was usual at the time. The extensive development section is characterized by harmonic and rhythmic tension, from dissonant chords and long passages of syncopated rhythms. After a turbulent passage combining the first two themes with several modulations, follows a fugue based on the second theme, which leads to an intensely dramatic climax in a 32-bar passage of sforzando chords, culminating in crashing dissonant forte chords. A contrastingly lyrical E minor theme is then introduced by the clarinet. The main theme reappears again, becoming the centre of the rest of development. The recapitulation appears triumphally, followed by a sudden excursion to F major, before actually starting the recapitulation of the main themes. As the music deviates again, the fourth E minor theme reappears suddenly, leading us to a powerful coda based on the main theme.

The second movement is a funeral march in an expanded ternary form. It begins with a noble and solemn march main theme presented by the strings, followed by the woods. A secondary theme in the relative major is presented, but the music quickly returns to the minor tonality, and these materials are developed throughout the rest of the section. The middle section opens with a joyful and elegant theme in C major, concluding with a brilliant climax. The funereal main theme reappears, leading to a slow fugue based on an inversion of the secondary theme. The music elevates in a brief tragic climax, followed by an intense and stormy passage for the whole orchestra. The oboe recapitulates the funereal main theme, followed by the strings in a varied way. The coda begins with a two-note motif in the strings that was earlier heard in the middle section and eventually ends with a final soft restatement of the main theme, concluding into despair.

The third movement consists of a scherzo in ternary form. Opens with a vivacious rhythmic main theme introduced in pianissimo by the strings, leading to a full fortissimo statement. The scherzo playfully oscillates between piano-pianissimo to fortissimo with no middle ground. The trio opens with three horns presenting a majestic theme supported by strings. The scherzo is then recapitulated. The entrance of the timpani marks the start of an exhilarating coda, quickly building from pianissimo to fortissimo and encapsulating the pattern of the whole movement.

The fourth movement is a set of ten variations on a theme. Begins with a vertiginous introduction. The theme is playful, presented by the woods and strings in pizzicato. This theme was used in at least three other compositions. The first variation is a more elaborated recapitulation on the theme, with some added counterpoint. The second, as the first, elaborates more with a new triplet accompaniment. The third variation opens with a new melody in the clarinet, which completes the theme. The fourth variation consists of a fugue based on the now fully exposed main theme. The fifth variation is more playful and cheeky in character. The sixth variation takes the form of a passionate march. The main theme briefly reappears before the seventh variation, which is a more free and creative fugue. The eight variation is a lyrical and serene passage for the whole orchestra. In contrast, the ninth variation is brilliant and majestic, enhanced by the brass. The final variation is in the same vein as the eight, concluding in a dissonant manner. A sudden outburst of the whole orchestra starts an accelerated coda, ending powerfully with a series of E flat major chords.

Musical analysis partially done by myself. Source: https://bit.ly/3aFjiFy To check the score: https://bit.ly/3PZzG6b