Beethoven's Symphony No. 7

Ludwig van Beethoven

The King’s Speech won the Academy Award for Best Picture last February 27^th.  Just before the presentation of the award, the traditional Best Picture nominee montage was shown.  It used the final King’s speech from The King’s Speech as the audio for the montage, with scenes from the ten Best Picture nominees echoing the themes of the speech itself.  The music behind the speech is the second movement of Beethoven’s 7th symphony.  It’s slow, measured pace and pensive mood perfectly match the halting, careful delivery of the King’s speech.  It looked a little odd over the scenes from Toy Story 3 and Inception but there were so many odd things about these Oscars that I doubt anyone noticed.  I find it ironic that this symphony was used for that scene: the King is addressing his country regarding the imminent war with Germany as a symphony by German’s greatest composer sets the mood.  Is it irrelevant to the filmmakers and to the audience where a particular piece of music comes from as long as the music suits the scene?  That got me thinking about Beethoven and his wonderful Symphony No 7.

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A major (Opus 92) was written during 1811 and 1812, right in the middle of the Napoleonic wars.  The story goes that Beethoven hid in the brother’s basement with a pillow clamped over his ears trying to protect them from the incessant pounding of the French artillery during the taking of Vienna.  Much of the symphony was written in the Bavarian spa town of Teplice where Beethoven had gone for his health.  It was premiered at a charity concert on December 8, 1813 and was well received.  The audience was so taken by the second movement that it demanded an immediate encore.  By the fourth movement, Allegro con brio, the orchestra and audience were caught up in the wild rush, with Beethoven actually leaping into the air.  Wagner called Beethoven’s Seventh “the apotheosis of the dance” because of its myriad dance-like rhythms and melodies.   Wagner aside, there is something even more evident in the soaring, giddy Seventh: Beethoven is in love.

The symphony was written during the same period that he wrote love letters to his “Immortal Beloved.”  Reading these letters taps into the same emotions that makes the symphony so powerful.

“Though still in bed, my thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved, now and then joyfully, then sadly, waiting to learn whether or not fate will hear us - I can live only wholly with you or not at all - Yes, I am resolved to wander so long away from you until I can fly to your arms and say that I am really at home with you, and can send my soul enwrapped in you into the land of spirits - Yes, unhappily it must be so - You will be the more contained since you know my fidelity to you. No one else can ever possess my heart - never - never - Oh God, why must one be parted from one whom one so loves."

The identity of Beethoven’s Immortal Beloved is not known for sure but a list of likely candidates has been compiled over the years.  The most likely is Antonie Brentano, the wife of a close friend that he may have known while they were both in Vienna.  Given that the love letters were found in Beethoven’s possession after his death, either he never sent them or they were returned by the addressee.  Perhaps his love was unrequited.  Regardless of who the “Immortal Beloved” was, Beethoven’s passionate feelings for her are forever enshrined in the breathtaking Symphony No. 7.

Beethoven's Seventh Symphony performed by the Columbia University Orchestra

I. Poco sostenuto – Vivace

II. Allegretto

III. Presto – Assai meno presto

IV. Allegro con brio

Question of the Day: Besides Antonie Brentano, who are the other contenders for the title of Beethoven's "Immortal Beloved"?