# Understanding Beethoven's 9th, Second Movement Scherzo



## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

Understanding Beethoven's Ninth

_*II. Molto vivace*_*

Form*

_Note that the repeat of the development and recapitulation was skipped in the recording I used for timings, as was standard before the HIP movement._

0:00~1:13 Introduction, Theme (D minor->C major)
1:14~2:22 _Repeat_
2:22~4:27 Development and recapitulation (modulating->E minor->F major->[E-flat]->D minor)
4:27~4:43 Coda (D minor)

4:43~5:59 Trio theme and development (D major)
5:59~6:58 _Repeat_
6:58~7:43 Trio Coda (D major)

7:43~11:05 Scherzo _da capo_
11:05~11:25 Coda (D minor->D major)

*Themes*

The leaping, staccato theme of the scherzo.









The trio pairs a staccato bassoon line with a longer-breathed step-wise melody that presages the "Ode to Joy" theme of the finale.









*Analysis*

The scherzo opens with an explosive series of downward-leaping tutti figures, separated by pauses. This figure is taken up by the second violins, _pianissimo_, with accents added by oboe, and the violas join in a few bars later. All of the strings join in the fugal texture, still maintaining the hushed dynamic. After the basses finish their entry, they move down to A and stay there stubbornly against the movement of the other parts, growing in intensity. The scherzo theme bursts out, _fortissimo_, in the violins and flutes, against stabbing chords from the rest of the orchestra. A brief but uneasy lull ensues, the leaping rhythm in the strings now backed by quiet, slow-moving chords in the winds. The strings gather strength and the whole orchestra responds with a variation on the scherzo theme in C major. The winds and strings have a dialogue, and the first section ends with a question.

Following the repeat, this dialogue is taken up again and sequential repetitions of the leaping figure lead the music into the key of E minor, where another contrapuntal treatment of the theme appears in the winds, now with three bars to the phrase, rather than four. The reappearance of the timpani (tuned to F) diverts the proceedings, and the winds' figures are now punctuated by their repeated tattoo. The strings and winds resume their dialogue, and a series of entries of the leaping theme moving from lower to upper strings, once again four measures to the phrase, comes to a sudden halt on the dominant of E-flat major. The timpani once again intrude, however, and the entire orchestra joins in the leaping figure, leading to the _fortissimo_ recapitulation of the scherzo theme, which finishes in a resolute D minor before trailing off questioningly as before. [Here a repeat of the development and recapitulation sometimes follows.]

The question builds to a climax on a jutting tutti, which leads directly into the trio in D major. The winds take up this new, more melodic theme paired with staccato scalar runs in the bassoons. After a repeat, the scalar line is played _legato_ by the middle strings in imitative polyphony. The theme moves into the horns, backed by each section of the strings in turn. After a lengthy solo for first oboe that flirts with other key areas, an orchestral tutti on the trio theme follows, and a repeat of the whole section. After the repeat, the basses and horns play a long pedal on D as the theme slowly winds down.

A complete _da capo_ repeat of the scherzo follows, followed by a coda that hints at the trio theme before cutting it off with one last jutting tutti.

Blog Index​


----------

