An Analysis of Beethoven

After listening to three different interpretations of the first movement, the "Allegro con Brio," of Beethoven's Third Symphony, which is also called "Eroica," the listener is able to discern some variations between the three performances. Performances by Furtwängler, Toscanini, and the Hanover Band (led by Roy Goodman) all contain some differences in the way the ideas in the Third Symphony were conveyed to the audience, and therefore one might suspect that this would cause a slight dissimilarity in the way the audience understands the piece. However, though there are some differences in dynamics and tempo, which alter the mood, the general tone of the piece remains the same.

Because Beethoven is considered to be the basis for the standard of "serious music," his compositions are score-based rather than performance-based, as is a characteristic of "serious music." As such, his pieces are supposed to celebrate the genius of the composer, rather than the skill of the performer. Another quality of "serious music" is that it invites contemplation of the music, and brings a certain feeling of self-awareness to the audience. It is not programmatic, and the audience has the freedom to relate the music to themselves, rather than thinking of the particular story for which the piece was written.

Beethoven dedicated "Eroica," which comes from the word "heroic," to Napoleon Bonaparte. The first movement creates a sense of the triumph of the hero. Although most of the audience is probably aware that the piece is dedicated to Napoleon, within the themes of struggle and triumph the audience finds "Eroica" universally appealing. Though not all humans have performed a heroic act, all humans have had to struggle in order to succeed. In that way, "Eroica" becomes a selection within the soundtrack for the human experience.

The Hanover Band's performance of the "Allegro con Brio" is the smoothest of the three performances. The range of dynamics used is less intense than those of either Furtwängler's or Toscanini's performance. It is also the only movement that follows Beethoven's repeat, though it slips by quickly.

When compared to other two performances, it feels as if the Hanover Band performance is less tense than Furtwängler or Toscanini's performance. The "loose" feeling of this performance is furthered by the quieter pizzicato bass line, and also by more largo bowing in the string section. This is not to say that Goodman abandons staccato altogether, but it is definitely less pronounced in this version.

The Italian Toscanini conducts at a quick pace, and creates perhaps the most propelling performance of the three. The impact of his performance is aided by more pronounced dynamics, especially crescendo and decrescendo, as well as accents. The forte and piano sections of this performance are louder and softer (respectively) than those sections in the Hanover Band performance. Because Toscanini conducts the first movement at a faster tempo, the performance is edgier in that each note is shorter, making the pizzicato and staccato notes extremely short in comparison to the Hanover Band performance. The drums in the Toscanini performance are more pronounced than they are in the other two performances, which help give a sense of forward motion, as the audience is driven by the drum beats.

Stylistically, there is greater ornamentation in the Toscanini performance, as one would expect from an Italian rendition (one reason that the Italians were so criticized by the German musicians). In the middle of the piece, the orchestra plays a scale that culminates into the recapitulation. In the Toscanini performance, there is a longer, more pronounced trill going into the first note of the theme than in either of the other two performances. It stands to reason that an Italian performance will be more exaggerated and decorated, as these qualities are inherent in the nature of the Italian music.

Furtwängler's interpretation of the first movement is more German in its approach. There is a wider variety of dynamics and styles than the Hanover Band performance, seems to be more straightforward, and was also more continuous in terms of style. The German performance of the piece seems to be somewhere between Toscanini and the Hanover Band versions.

One could infer that the nationality of the conductor had some small influence upon the interpretation of the piece. People like A. B. Marx have argued that German music is the only "pure" music, but he did not mention what would become of German music if performed by a non-German musician. Stereotypically, the German people emote a darker tone, whereas Italians are known for their emotions, and these qualities are reflected in the performances of "Eroica." However different each performance may be, they all convey the idea of "achievement through struggle" that Beethoven originally intended to be conveyed in his composition.

Also, each performance succeeds in emoting the idea of transformation, or metamorphosis, captured by Beethoven in this composition. The grandeur that is emoted by the first movement is also apparent in all of the performances, and stems more from the harmonic layering, the instrumentation, and the act of culminating into a familiar theme, techniques which are solely Beethoven's handiwork. The fact that there are different tempos, or changes in dynamics, which would be the influence of the conductor, does not change the overall power of the piece. Even when there is less range of volume, there is still a feeling of power and the idea of a fight for supremacy that is transmitted to the audience through the music.After listening to several performances and different interpretations of the "Eroica," one can conclude that the themes that Beethoven originally intended to be conveyed in the Third Symphony are, in fact, inherent to it. Despite the differences of the performances, an audience of any performance can still walk away with the feeling that "Eroica" is about the problem that man must conquer in order to reach his goals. However, the Third Symphony is still "serious music" to the highest degree, despite the specific themes of struggle and triumph, because its meaning is not determined by the conductor or the performers. The composer loosely predetermined some main ideas within the composition, but even Beethoven did not compose to exact specifications. He left interpretation up to the audience. The final struggle of the piece is the listener's struggle with himself, and so the "Eroica" is to be analyzed by the audience after the performance, not by a conductor before the performance. The individual experience of each listener affects his reaction to the music. Therefore, no performance can influence the audience's final perception.