Symphony No.7 IV Allegro con brio

Beethoven

Beginning rhythm is very short, with entire orchestra on the same rhthm of eighth, sixteenth rest, sixteenth quarter, and two quarter rests. The rhythm is then repeated a step lower. The jump in intervals from the first eighth in the rhythm to a lower sixteenth, along with the fast tempo introduce the energetic motive in the first section. It also establishes a simple quad meter, especially in the third measure, which breaks apart into seperate textures. There is a constant bass drum line on two and four of every beat that keeps the tempo going. The strings have the melody with a rhythm of quarter, four sixteenths, quarter, four sixteenths, shaped into two bar phrases. The repeated and constant rhythm give the piece a fast, chasing feel, especially because there is not a lot of jumpy intervals. The first period ends after a four measure phrase, the first ending on an IAC and the second on a PAC. The parallel period is repeated, and sequencial motion is hinted at in the next phrase, which is the same thing a third higher. The next period breaks the sequence and begins a new motive in the larger motive of fast, moving rhythms. There are several developmental functions that all convey one main motive of moving fast. This is done through lots of notes inbetween accents, and a constant pulse feel. The lines also descend slowly, with a lot of repeated motion. Most of the phrases are symetric. The transistional functions are signaled by longer notes. The main theme is stated in the third phrase of the beginning, and this is restated several times throughout the piece. There is also a liter variation on this theme, that still maintains a fast tempo but with less density, and a softer dynamic. The piece as a whole always returned to these two main themes, and there are several developmental functions inbetween. As a whole, each seperate motive sounded like it could be a terminative function to another piece. The accents are very heavy, sudden, and everything wants to terminate, but it keeps going to another phrase. The end incorporates all the aspect that give it a terminating feeling, and it ends on an IAC