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Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
Sinfonie Nr. 8  1811–1812
Courtesy of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin—Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Musikabteilung

 

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Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin—Preussischer Kulturbesitz
Berlin
Germany

Beethoven's Sinfonie Nr. 8
1811–1812

In the history of Western music, Ludwig van Beethoven is pre-eminent, and was ultimately recognised by his contemporaries as the greatest living composer of his time. In all nine of his symphonies, Beethoven essentially retained the traditional eighteenth-century form of four movements, while steadily expanding the scale and dramatic scope of the genre. As a result, he is credited with elevating the status of symphonic writing, such that the orchestral symphony eventually became a ‘test’ of a composer’s originality, poetic vision and control of form.

The Sinfonie Nr. 8 (Eighth Symphony) is the notable exception to these tendencies towards greater length and solemnity. In a letter written in 1815, Beethoven famously mentions the opus 93 as ‘a little one’, and the work as a whole is usually characterised as ‘humorous’ and vibrant. In that vein, the Eighth has been called the ‘metronome’ Symphony, due to repeated chords ‘ticking’ lightly through its second movement. This motif was perhaps Beethoven’s witty tribute to his friend Johann Mälzel, who had recently invented the metronome. Without a slow movement, the Eighth Symphony’s four movements are designated respectively Allegro con brio, Allegretto, Tempo di menuetto and Allegro. The bound manuscript displayed is that of the first movement, and ‘Allegro vivace e con brio’ can be seen written quite legibly in the lower left corner, indicating that it should be played ‘at a lively speed and with spirit’. The first performance of the Eighth Symphony took place in Vienna in February 1814.

This manuscript of the Eighth Symphony served as the basis for a first printing of the Symphony in 1817. Although representing a very late stage in the compositional process, it is a variously layered record of the composer’s musical thinking, best described as a ‘working manuscript’.