Beethoven Redux

Posted by: mikeeschman on 08 April 2009

My musical dry spell is over. Beethoven's Symphony No. 8 brought my ears back. When you have heard Beethoven develop a theme, you have heard everything that theme is capable of being.

The writing for oboe, flute and clarinet is exquisite in this work.

We got the symphonies on DVD by Abbado and Berlin, while on tour. The 8th is performed in a beautiful Italian hall.

It's very nice to see them make the sounds :-)

This 8th symphony is taken to be a
light-hearted work, but there is a wealth of music making in here.

And it's a chance to hear the great man in good humor and full of himself, quite independent of his personal circumstance. A thing I hear in Beethoven's late works is a boundless sense of optimism, and hope. No place more than here.

How many different ways can you come at the key of F? It's a good chance to listen to music in 3 ...
Posted on: 08 April 2009 by mikeeschman
quote:
Originally posted by munch:
Look up plagiarize in your Dictionary.
You might move the words around but it shows man.


what the hell are you talking about munch? are you drinking? Which part of the ten sentences i wrote do you think i lifted from elsewhere?

maybe you think i can't see the oboe, flute and clarinet play together, or read the time signature and key in the score?

i don't understand this mean streak in you, i thought you were too old for that...
Posted on: 08 April 2009 by mikeeschman
quote:
Originally posted by munch:
Got you Cool Winker


Yep :-)
Posted on: 09 April 2009 by Guido Fawkes
I've only got an old set of his symphonies on vinyl conducted by Karl Bohm with Wiener Philharmoniker, but if there is a better riff (ostinato figure) than the opening to his fifth then I've yet to hear it.

e:------------------------------|
B:------------------------------|
G:------------------7-7-7-4-----|
D:-4-4-4-5p4-4-4----------------|
A:---------------5--------------|
E:------------------------------|

e:------------------------------|
B:------------------------------|
G:------------------9-9-9-6-----|
D:-4-4-4-5p4-4-4----------------|
A:---------------4--------------|
E:------------------------------|

e:-----------------------|
B:-----------------------|
G:-11-11-9-7--11-11-9-7--|
D:-----------------------|
A:-----------------------|
E:-----------------------|

I wish I had a better understanding of music theory, but I'm a dunce in that area - though I'm learning from Mike and George's very informative posts. However, I know when I like something and Beethoven has to be among the very best.

ATB Rotf
Posted on: 09 April 2009 by Guido Fawkes
Guitar tabs don't post well.
Posted on: 09 April 2009 by mjamrob
quote:
Guitar tabs don't post well.


Should I turn up the gain on my amp for that power riff? Smile

regards,
mat
Posted on: 09 April 2009 by mikeeschman
quote:
Originally posted by ROTF:
Guitar tabs don't post well.


i didn't know what that was. How do you read it?
Posted on: 09 April 2009 by mjamrob
quote:
i didn't know what that was. How do you read it?


Mike I never thought I'd be answering a musical technical question of yours but here goes Smile -

The letters represent the open string note of the guitar, and the numbers represent the frets where the note is played. P means string pull off to the next fret shown. The limitation of this kind of guitar tablature is that there is no timing information. Although there are more sophisticated tablatures which do to a limited degree.

regards,
mat
Posted on: 09 April 2009 by mikeeschman
thanks :-) makes perfect sense.
Posted on: 09 April 2009 by fred simon
quote:
Originally posted by mjamrob:

The limitation of this kind of guitar tablature is that there is no timing information. Although there are more sophisticated tablatures which do to a limited degree.


Yes, and do keep in mind, a common misconception made (by non-professional classical musicians, that is) is with the rhythmic placement of the famous opening riff ... the tendency is to hear it as starting at the beginning of the bar on a strong beat: DA-da-da-daaaa, but actually the first three quicker notes are prepatory pickups to the strong final beat: da-da-da-DAAAA.

Best,
Fred


Posted on: 09 April 2009 by mjamrob
Not sure if this tab is correct though if it's meant to represent the opening bars of Beethoven's 5th.

It's in C minor so I would play G G G Eb, F F F D

All on D string 5 5 5 1, 3 3 3 0.

And it could do with being 3 note chords Winker

regards,

mat
Posted on: 10 April 2009 by Wolf2
I just heard the 5th last night. Salonen conducting his last few nights. At the talk he said he wanted to play personal favorites. First was Ligeti, Clocks and Clouds. Instead of 12 violins it was 12 women singing microtones. Very etherial. Then premiered his own Violin Concerto, Josephowitz was incredible.

And last the 5th, he said he wanted to bring out some different aspects of it so he messed with the score a bit. That was the first symphony when I was in 5th grade that the music teacher taught us the significance and then structure. I've always liked it. Incredible evening of adventuresome music.

Sorry for misspellings.