A Conversation for Timpani

Beethoven and Timpani

Post 1

Steve K.

I recently completed a set of lectures on tape covering Bethoven's nine symphonies. The lecturer, a composer and professor of music, stated that LVB was the first to treat timpani musically, rather than "something to bang on".

P.S. He also added a bit of trivia - What is the only Beethoven Symphony to use a bass drum? smiley - huh


Beethoven and Timpani

Post 2

.

That's cool, we should all be grateful to Mozart! smiley - biggrin

So what's the answer? I have no idea, 5? smiley - erm


Beethoven and Timpani

Post 3

Steve K.

Its been so long I forgot smiley - blush But Wikipedia remembered - the 9th Symphony (also has a big four part choir, I've heard):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._9_(Beethoven)#Orchestration

Mmm, Mozart - didn't use a bass drum?


Beethoven and Timpani

Post 4

.

Sorry, I think I meant Beethoven not Mozart? smiley - weird

But Mozart did use a bass drum...in his Requiem I believe?

9th Symphony has everything right?


Beethoven and Timpani

Post 5

Steve K.

I've heard music professors call Beethoven's 9th Symphony one of the three most influential compositions in Western Music. Another is Monteverdi's "Orfeo" (1607 - established opera as a modern form). And the third is Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" a ballet whose premier in 1913 caused a riot in the Paris opera house, and got the 20th century off to a (literal) bang.

Also, more time passed between Beethoven's 8th and 9th symphonies than it took him to write all the first eight. So he apparently gave it a LOT of thought. smiley - senior


Beethoven and Timpani

Post 6

.

I confess to only having properly listened to one of the three pieces you mentioned. smiley - yikes

Off to find some CDs I suppose!


Beethoven and Timpani

Post 7

Vip

The 9th is always viewed as a big step forward in the development of the Symphony. And although I can agree in technical terms, I don't like it a work. The first three movements are okay, but I really dislike the fourth. I like the 'innovative' parts of it with the choir, but he could have got the musical message over in half the time. As such by the time the choir come in I'm bored and not really listening, which is a shame.

Beethoven 8, on the other hand, I smiley - love. Completely. And pretty much everything else he ever wrote. Piano Concerto 4 makes me melt. The slow movement can take me to tears.


Ooh, in other trivia terms, Beethoven was not only the first to really use the timpani, but the tringle and piccolo too. smiley - smiley Beetthoven rocks. Even if he was an embittered a***hole in real life.


smiley - fairy


Beethoven and Timpani

Post 8

Vip

"development of the Symphony."

I mean the Symphony as a concept, not the development of that particular piece of music itself.


Beethoven and Timpani

Post 9

Steve K.

I recall a music prof listing the historical periods of classical music: Medieval, Baroque, Classical, Beethoven, Romantic, 20th Century, ...


Beethoven and Timpani

Post 10

Vip

Beethoven did cross the barrier between Classical and Romantic, to be sure, but then, so did a lot of people. He just happens to be one of the better ones. smiley - winkeye


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