Symphony No 1 (Brahms Analysis) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Symphony No 1 (Brahms Analysis) - Essay Example The popularity and success of this Symphony are richly deserved. It is a work of perfect technical achievement and profound emotion, of beautiful melody and detailed counter point. The most important structural feature, and that is undoubtedly original with Brahms, is the acquisition of a short but striking phrase which introduces the exposition, and for which the phrase basic motive seems most appropriate, since it principals the entire movement, either as a component or as a generating factor. The themes are all based on it, or obtained from it. The subordinate Theme is, for scant measures, similar to the principal one: such a likeness between the chief themes has been frequently done before and is identified as one of the conditions of the early symphonic movement. The first codetta also shows remarkable likeness to the principal theme; the basic motive is set forth in the upper most tones, but the principal theme is given to the basses.... This introduction was composed after the remainder of the piece had already been scored. The allegro section of the movement is a huge orchestral sonata, wherein musical ideas are developed, clearly expressed and restated with changed relationships among them. The key of the allegretto is A-flat major. The allegretto starts with a tranquil, stepwise tune in the clarinet. The four bar figure experience an extension making it an asymmetrical five bars resulting from a small bridge between the phrases by the strings. The â€Å"A† theme in the allegretto is rounded off by the clarinet making the invasion of the first five bars audible. The B the infiltrates in m. 11 and then features a dropping dotted eighth pattern in the clarinet, bassoon, and flute with the falling arising figures of the rhythm being echoed by the strings. A appears to emerge with the violins repeating the first theme and a longer, chromatic bridge segment which lengthens the phrase composition to seven bars. D and C themes are different from A and B in the sense that they are more angular and shorter rhythmically. The first two themes are almost persistent eighth note pizzicato in the string. On the other hand, C and D have more complexity to the sixth note pattern that is interlocked accompanying the wind. The movement to F minor from the major mode marks the sections as apart from heralding material. The contrast that is obvious in mood and character can make someone to think of the D and C sections as a trio appearing within them first allegretto section in the greater ternary form shown by the whole movement (Wilson 137). The symmetry of the whole is reflected in the symmetry of each section. The A†