# Favorite Movement Of Beethoven 9 - Excluding The Finale?



## Guest

Strangely enough, it would seem that, at least on TC, the consensus favorite movement of Beethoven 9 is also the controversial movement. Or maybe that's not so strange. Anyway, let's set it aside for now, as 1) any "Favorite Movement Of Beethoven 9" poll would give the finale a landslide victory and 2) the divisive nature of the finale (is it a work of genius or is it overrated?) seems to keep everyone from giving the first three movements some well-deserved attention.

So let's cast our votes for our favorites of the first three movements, shall we?


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## Guest

I'm going with the scherzo on this one. And I should note that between first movements, slow movements, scherzos, and finales, scherzos are usually least likely to become favorites for me. So this one is extra special.


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## DrKilroy

In this case, I actually prefer the first movement and the scherzo over the finale. 

Best regards, Dr


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## shangoyal

The adagio molto e cantabile is my favourite. It is so different! It's like every note is perfectly placed as if by some angel descended from heaven. There is a consuming feeling of peace in it - not after a great victory, but after a great understanding - like you know all you ever needed to know, and it feels good just because you know, for sure, even if it was for a few moments.

Every time I listen to it, it transforms me a little bit - and sometimes I cannot remember how I felt just before listening to it.


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## Oliver

First movement is my favourite of all 4.


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## scratchgolf

The 2nd and 3rd are two of my ten favorites movements off all time. I can't choose between because they are night to day. Summer and Winter. As for the 4th, I don't love it or hate it. The instrumental buildup is one of my favorite things on this earth. I'm very familiar with the chorus and I enjoy it. I just don't enjoy the trend in symphonies that it started.


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## MrTortoise

Love all 3 movements, but if I had to make a choice, the adagio.


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## Guest

scratchgolf said:


> I just don't enjoy the trend in symphonies that it started.


What trend did it start?


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## Alydon

I would cite the 1st movement as my favourite movement. I can truly say it is the one which when heard on the radio one day by chance affected me so much with its primeval and stoical force while the other 3 movements have failed to produce as great a reaction.


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## SiegendesLicht

I have a weakness for adagios, especially Beethoven's.


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## scratchgolf

arcaneholocaust said:


> What trend did it start?


The inclusion of a chorus or vocals within a symphony.


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## tgtr0660

I used to love the Finale the most but these days, though I still love it, I'm more excited about the first movement. The main declamation of the theme is just too powerful to be true, and the cataclysm halfway through the movement takes a lot of skill to bring out correctly but when done that way, is an apotheosic moment in all of music. Only Beethoven could have managed to go from the chaos and despair of the first to the ultimate celebration of life of the last.


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## nightscape

As a full movement I would go with the first. But my favorite moment is "the chord" in the 3rd movement. That strong major chord that fulfills the earlier set up in that movement. You all know the one I mean.


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## hpowders

MrTortoise said:


> Love all 3 movements, but if I had to make a choice, the adagio.


Yes I would also place the adagio first.


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## PetrB

I think you would have to include one other set of questions, and the result of that would be dependent upon how honest the poll participants are:

Other than the final movement of Beethoven's ninth symphony, I am familiar with:

a.) the first movement
b.) the second movement
c.) the third movement
d.) the fourth movement, but not all of it
e.) the fourth movement, the full-length of it.
Then you might get a more "meaningful" poll result than as presently set up.


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## Guest

Oh PetrB, you kill me.


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## SixFootScowl

I voted for the second movement, but really wanted to select both the first and second, and may regret that I didn't vote for the first movement after all.


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## Weston

Movement 2, the scherzo. 

I love the use of timpani as a melodic motivic instrument. Of course they are designed to be somewhat melodic, but who used them so prominently in that capacity before? When I first heard the symphony being called "Ode to Joy" I thought that referred to this movement. Can there be anything more joyous? As scherzos go it even blows the other Beethoven scherzos out of the running and makes poor Bruckner's scherzos sound like the mutterings of an old grouch. I also love the movement's use as a pivotal part of A Clockwork Orange -- the movie at least. I can't remember if it was in the book which I only read once decades ago.


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## DrKilroy

Ouch, I thought the scherzo was the third movement!  Oh well.

Best regards, Dr


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## maestro267

First movement. It sets the epic scale of the symphony. Even if you don't know how the symphony ends (rather difficult, considering EVERYONE knows Beethoven 9), you know you're in for an incredible ride.


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## pjang23

shangoyal said:


> The adagio molto e cantabile is my favourite. It is so different! It's like every note is perfectly placed as if by some angel descended from heaven. There is a consuming feeling of peace in it - not after a great victory, but after a great understanding - like you know all you ever needed to know, and it feels good just because you know, for sure, even if it was for a few moments.
> 
> Every time I listen to it, it transforms me a little bit - and sometimes I cannot remember how I felt just before listening to it.


Agreed. The third movement is my favorite even including the finale.


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## mtmailey

I think it would sound better WITHOUT THE CHORUS to me.The last movement part before the song was fine to me though.


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## AClockworkOrange

The second movement, though all three movements are superb and essentially equal.

The second movement was my introduction to the Symphony form and opened the doors to Classical music thanks to a certain film... :devil:

The first movement is a very powerful and beautiful starting point, especially under Furtwängler's guidance and the third movement is a welcome contrast, setting up the final movement wonderfully.


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## SixFootScowl

mtmailey said:


> I think it would sound better WITHOUT THE CHORUS to me.The last movement part before the song was fine to me though.


There is a Liszt piano transcription of the Ninth, which has no vocals. But I do like the choral movement.


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## KenOC

Mr. Memory (faltering these days, alas) says that Liszt did a 2-piano version (or a 4-hand at least) of the 9th, and a single piano version as well as part of his complete symphony transcriptions. For the latter, the Katsaris performances can't be beat.

http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Lis...sr=1-1&keywords=beethoven+symphonies+katsaris


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## GreenMamba

I prefer both inner movements to the finale. Possibly my favorite scherzo and slow movement of any symphony.


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## DaDirkNL

The first movement is one of my favourites. Unique and grand. Otherwise the scherzo.


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## tgtr0660

The finale, by itself, would be a majestic piece but wouldn't be what is. It is the previous three monsters that make the finale the absolute pinnacle that it usually is regarded to be. What was built in 1, 2 and 3 is torn apart and redeemed in 4. This is a symphony as all symphonies should be: impossible to separate in movements without losing something of its perfection.


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## Brahmsian Colors

The first movement. I imagined the beginning of creation the first time I heard it.


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## Heck148

They're all great, but my choice is II/Scherzo....fun to hear, and fun to play.....great bassoon part....

not so much fun if the conductor takes every repeat!! then it's a marathon, like playing 6 Sousa marches back to back with no break...the first 3 mvts of LvB 9 are the most taxing endurance wise of any piece in the standard repertoire.....in the finale, you actually get some rests!!


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## Kreisler jr

The first movement and I voted for this but there are so many good first movements and slow movements in the repertoire, that the *Molto vivace* might be the most extraordinary one. It was matched in scope but IMO not in energy and atmosphere by Schubert's Great C major but otherwise the next scherzo I like as much is Bruckner's 9th.


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## Merl

I voted the 2nd movement, which I love. I could live with an adagio half the length, though. Some conductors extend it to closer to 20 minutes and in the process bore me senseless (remember that godawfully painful adagio of Bernstein at the Berlin Wall)?


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## Kreisler jr

At a reasonable tempo the adagio should last about 13-15 min. although I like it enough to not mind Brucknerian 19 min...


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## gprengel

For me it is movement #1 - nowhere else I find so much power and and on the other hand so beautiful contrasting tenderness like in this movement - especially in the development!
This movement is the greatest first Allegro I know, the Scherzo is the greatest Scherzo ever and the Adagio the most beautiful Adagio ever (especially because of the heart-melting Andante part! - well, together with the Adagio from Mahler's 3rd)) !!


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## bwv543

Kreisler jr said:


> The first movement and I voted for this but there are so many good first movements and slow movements in the repertoire, that the *Molto vivace* might be the most extraordinary one. It was matched in scope but IMO not in energy and atmosphere by Schubert's Great C major but otherwise the next scherzo I like as much is Bruckner's 9th.


Sir, I applaud this post.


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