Last night, I had a chance to see the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra play Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, known as the “Chorale”, at the Orpheum Theatre. I’ve always enjoyed orchestra performances, but I was particularly excited for this symphony, given the new contexts surrounding classical music that I’ve learned through MUSC 326. Moreover, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony itself is intriguing on many levels: it was Beethoven’s last symphony, composed when he had already gone deaf. It’s said that when he performed the symphony at the Kärnnertor Theater in Vienna in 1824, Beethoven couldn’t hear the thunderous applause from the audience when the performance had finished, until the mezzo-soprano soloist tapped his shoulder so he could turn around and see the audience’s reaction.
Beethoven’s 9th is also compositionally unique: its arrangement requires a substantially large orchestra, and it features chorus and vocal soloists in its final movement. This was was immediately visible by the sheer number of performers on the stage. There was a full orchestra, vocalists, as well as a full chorus featuring UBC Choirs. Although I was sitting far back in the balcony, I could feel the energy of the huge ensemble of performers. I was also enchanted by the sheer setting of the concert; the beautiful architecture of the Orpheum and full audience seemed to heighten my anticipation for the performance.
The performance opened with a short piece called ‘The Unanswered Question’ by American composer Charles Ives. As the conductor explained, the piece poses existential questions: What is the meaning of existence? A core group of strings played a slow, quiet, underlying tone throughout the piece. Unexpectedly, a solo trumpet began to play from somewhere off stage – eventually I would scan towards the left side of the audience and see that there was solo trumpet positioned to the left of the theatre – posing the “The Perennial Question of Existence.” As the quiet strings continued to play ceaselessly, another off-stage melody emerged, this time from the right side of the theatre. It was a quartet of woodwinds, with its own composer, playing the “Fighting Answerers” – supposedly a response to the trumpet’s ‘question of existence.’ It was a unique piece that made interesting use of the stage, and it was an intriguing way to open Beethoven’s symphony.
Beethoven’s symphony begins with its first movement, Allegro ma non troppo, which is in sonata form. Opening in an eerie D minor key, the strings play a melody that sounds as if the orchestra “tuning up”. Immediately one feels a sense of suspense, and anticipation for what is to come. Being in sonata form, the first movement introduces the main theme, which undergoes a modulation and development phase, and and then repeats it several times throughout the movement.
The second movement, called Molto vivace, is formally called a scherzo. The scherzo, as we have learned in MUSC 326, is an innovative musical device created by Beethoven to replace the Minuet as a movement, which is much more moderate and delicate. The scherzo is frantic and energetic, driven by a feeling of angst and tension. The timpani shines through in this movement, its booming sound reverberating amongst the frenzied strings – and is even heard in its own solo sequences at times.
The third movement, Adagio molta e cantabile – is much more relaxed and calm compared to its preceding movements. The strings and woodwinds play sweetly, in stark contrast to the chaos heard in movements I and II. I recall from studying music theory growing up, that cantabile is an Italian term that translates to playing in a ‘singing style’ – and this movement captures that feeling perfectly.
The fourth and final movement, Presto assai – ‘Ode to Joy’ is probably the the most notorious movement of the symphony, where the chorus and vocals join the orchestra for a final, unified, and glorious ending. When all of the performers on stage came together to sing the joyous chorus, I could feel exactly why Beethoven’s 9th symphony is often referred to as the ‘universal anthem for hope, joy, friendship, and optimism for the future.’ It was a beautiful amalgamation of instrumentation, vocals, and poetry, and one can easily see why Beethoven’s work has withstood time and carved its own place in classical music history.