Beethoven
Classics Explained - An Introduction to Beethoven: Symphony No. 6, "Pastoral"
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Beethoven: Opening Phrase of the "Pastoral"
Beethoven: Musical Acorns
The Outline of Melody; The Shape of a Question
Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
The "Question" in the "Pastoral" Repeated...
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Beethoven
The Opening Phrase Ends on a Note Full of Pregnant Expectation
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann
The Rhythmic Profile of the Opening Phrase; A Two-Part Construction
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann
The Properties of Rhythmic Ambiguity; The "Question" of Phrase One Answered
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos
Beethoven: Phrase Two
Beethoven: The Makings of a Conversation
Beethoven
Repetition as a Major Factor, but It's Never Mere Repetition; Each Time Something New Is Added
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann
From Soft to Loud and Back Again; Instrumental Enrichment from Horns and Double-Basses
Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos
Beethoven: Mega-Repetition
Violins Play Exactly the Same Little Fragment Ten Times in a Row
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Beethoven
But No Two Repetitions Are Quite the Same; Variaties of Contrast
Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
More Variation; Pitch Rises; Violins Joined First by the Clarinet, Then by the Oboe
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Return to Opening Idea, but with New Instrumentation and Articulation
Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann
Clarinets, Horns, Bassoons and Flutes Now Join Expansive Variation
Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos
"New" Insistent Rhythm Derived from the First Four Notes of the Piece
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos
With the Dawn Chorus, a Whole Forest Is Waking Up; Feelings of Rapture
Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
First Violins Play a Derivative of the Opening Figure, Joined by Winds and Strings
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Sudden Change of Key, from the Home Key (Tonic) to the Dominant
Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Arrival at the Highly Contrasting Second Main Theme
Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Rhythmic Clash Between Simultaneous Groups of Three Beats and Groups of Two
Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann
Winds Fall Silent as the Violins and Violas Interrupt with a New Theme
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Winds Answer with the Same Morse-Like Rhythm, but at Half the Speed
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Crescendo Leads To Strings' Acceleration of the Pace with No Increase in Tempo
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann
Beginning of Coda, Directly Based on Morse-Like Rhythm of the Main Theme
Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Strings Reiterate Small Fragment of the New Theme 13 Times in a Row
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos
A Simple, Rising Violin Phrase Leads to a Repeat of the Exposition
Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann
The Nature and Function of the Development Section in Sonata Form; "Harmonic Rhythm" Explained
Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
A Typically Beethovenian Exercise in the Frustration of Expectation
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann
Repetitiousness and Magic Effected Largely through Instrumental Colour
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos
Even Greater Magic, with Sudden Switch of Key and Tone Colour
Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Entire Development Section up to This Point
Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Increased Unease and Suspense as Harmonic Rhythm Accelerates
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos
Arrival at the Point of Recapitualtion; Back to the Beginning, as a Reminder
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos
More Beethovenian Frustrations of Expectations Which He Himself Has Just Set Up
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos
Harmonic Rhythm Speeds Up, Giving the Impression of an Accent on Every Beat
Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Prevailing Mood Restored; New Theme from Clarinets and Bassoons
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos
Violins and Violas Take Up Theme; Horns, Cellos, Double-Basses Accompany
Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann
A Hush Falls, Followed by a Return of the Movement's Most Familiar Tag in Strings
Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos
Clarinet Takes Up the Running Triplet Figures of the Main Closing Theme
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos
First Violins Take Up the Opening Phrase Again, Accompanied by Double-Basses
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Beethoven Slips In One Last Surprise; Cue to Complete Movement
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos
Beethoven
General Introduction; The Birth of a Melody
Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Brook Music Quickens; Syncopated Horns; Themes Change Hands; Evocation of Birdsong
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
The "Mottl" Theme Introduced by Violins and Treated to Round-Like Overlappings
Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos
Transitional "Bridge" Theme Sets Off for New Key Group. But Is It? And Does It?
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann
Will He, Or Won't He? Beethoven Keeps Us Guessing
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos
Arrival at the Second Group; But Where Is the Actual Second Subject?
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos
...Which the Full Orchestra Now Takes Up in Varied Form
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Theme Carried by Flutes and First Violins in a Charmingly Waltz-Like Development
Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Back to the Prevailing Triple-Metre with Violins, Bassoons and Flutes
Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann
...And a Cue To Some Unexpected Departures
Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann
The Transformational Magic of Beethoven's Tone-Painting - And a New Variation
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Conversation of Clarinet, Flute and Oboe on the Way to the Development
Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Harmonic Movement Emphasised By Violins; Oboe Takes Up the First Subject
Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos
Flute and Oboe Discuss the First Subject, Before Arriving Together at the Transistion
Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Gains in Volume and Intensity Lead to a New Key-Change
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann
More Thematic Transformation Through the Agency of Tone-Colour
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann
Harmonic Fluidity - Instability - As the Central Engine of the Development Section
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Harmonic Instability, Thematic Dissolution Increase, Then Lessen with Approach of Recapitulation
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann
Beethoven: Recap. and Transformation
Key and Material Are Right, but What a Change of Presentation!
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Beethoven
Just When We Know What's Coming, Beethoven Changes the Rules (Or At Least the Harmony)
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Transformation by Reorchestration; Switch to Long Sustained Chords; Then Everything Stops
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
The Silence Is Broken by Voices of Nightingale (Flute), Quail (Oboe), and Cuckoo (Clarinet)
Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann
Beethoven: Beethoven and The Scherzo
An Introduction; Part One of Opening Phrase Taken by the Strings
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos
Beethoven: Immediate Response
Part One Is Answered by a Much More Singing, Continous Legato
Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann
Beethoven
Entire Orchestra Gives Out Opening Theme, This Time Fortissimo and with Powerful Accents
Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann
A Musical Ball Game. The Contrast of This and the First Two Movements Could Hardly Be Greater
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos
After Quietly Teasing Suspense, Beethoven Mocks Village Band, First the Oboe, Then the Bassoon
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos
Clarinet Joins In, Then Horn Takes the Tune - The Dance No Longer Boisterous But Lyrical
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Strings Sweep the Village Musicians Aside and Hurtle Us into the New, Boisterous "Trio" Section
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann
Beethoven
The Air Is Alive with the Sound of (Mock) Bagpipes, Tambourines and Fifes
Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Coda; Begins as the Movement Itself Begins, but Soon Diverges in Harmony and Instrumentation
Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Original Layout Compressed; Order of Events Is Changed and Beethoven Springs a Big Surprise
Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos
Beethoven
Unparalleled Portrait of Nature's Power over Humanity, with Some Stupendous Orchestration
Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos
Self-Generating Form and Terror of Total Unpredictability; "Anxiety Motif" from the Violins
Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos
The "Lashing Rain" Motif - Downward-Driving Arpeggios from the First Violins and Violas
Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos
The "Lightning" Motif, And Its Recurrence Later in the Movement
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
"Rain" Motif, Derived from Descending Scale Pattern from the Violins at the Outset
Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann
Shivering Tremolandos from the Strings and Increasingly Eerie Harmonies from the Wind
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Steady Crescendo in Strings; Terrifying, Downward Spelling-Out of Chords in the Violins
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos
Extremes of Dynamic Contrasts; The Unsettling, Disturbing, Undermining Effects of Chromaticism
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Abandonment of Melody, and Most Traces Even of Rhythm; Sustained, Discordant Harmony
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Storm Dispersed, the Sun Reappears, Bathing Sodden Earth Below with Its Life-Giving Rays
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann
Cue Tto Complete Performance of Fourth Movement
Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann
Liszt
Beethoven
"Yodelling" Figure from Clarinet, Then Horn, Then Violins, Who Introduce the Main Theme
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann
Details of Instrumental Magic in the Interplay of Horns, Cellos, Clarinets and Bassoons
Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Now We Get the Whole Orchestra, Playing Full Out, with Violins All Double-Stopping
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos
Transition to the Next Section, Based on the Last Two Notes of the Main Theme
Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
The Rhythmic Basis of New Transition Theme, First in Violas, Then Taken Up by First Violins
Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann
Another Rhythmic Detail of Extended Transition Comes Increasingly into the Foreground
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann
...And Is Then Heard in Expanded Version, Taken in Sequence by the Strings, from the Top Down
Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos
New Phrase, Introduced by Violins, Brings Us Resoundingly Back to the Opening Material
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann
Main Theme, Re-Orchestrated; Unexpected Drift into Another Key and a New, Gently Flowing Theme
Béla Drahos, Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Hints of a Return To Main Theme; Long "Pedal Point"; Running Commentary from the Violins
Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos
Main Theme Returns, but Significantly Altered, and Not Entirely Intact
Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos
Running Commentary Now Heard in the Middle, with Alternating Pizzicatos Both above and Below
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Part Three of Main Theme Given to the Entire Orchestra, Leading to Final Appearance of Theme Two
Jeremy Siepmann, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Béla Drahos
Extended Coda; Overlapping Variations of Main Theme, Rather in the Manner of a Round
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
Suddenly the Scene Changes. A Variation of the Running Commentary Cited in Tracks 34 and 36
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia
The Crowning Glory, as the Shepherd's Song of Thanksgiving Takes On a "Heavenly" Magnificence
Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos
Cue into Complete Performance of Fifth Movement through the "Gateway" of the Fourth
Jeremy Siepmann, Béla Drahos, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia