The Fourth Movement (Pastoral)

The form of the fourth movement

In my opinion the fourth movement of the pastoral symphony is determined by a poetic idea. I would like to interpret the musical materials in this movement as representations of events during a storm. In my view, Beethoven has successfully depicted events into musical ideas. Upon hearing the movement, one can definitely imagine and, more or less, visualise a similar message along the course of the music. The music is clearly moving from a stormy sky to a clear sky. But it may be too personal to cast the motifs as rain, wind, rainbow, etc. I mark them motif a,b,c and so on for the discussion:

As the movement is more towards program music, Beethoven seems to have difficulty in getting a suitable existing musical structure (e.g. a sonata form) to serve his purpose. He has specially designed the form for this movement. The top level diagram of this movement is shown here (below). I group the movement into seven main groups with other structural landmarks showing key and dynamic. I also include my own personal extra-musical comments to support the program music idea of this movement.

Diagram of the fourth movement

|----Intro----|-----G1------|------------G2------------|-------G3---> Bar 1 11 21 33 35 41 56 62 78 89 94 | | | | | | | | | | | | Key Db----Ebm-----Fm------------Db-----Cm--mod-------------Cm-----Db----> I VI v v VI pp p ff sf pp,f,sf f p pp ff,sf f,sf start raining, wind blows more rain, wind blows stronger Strom, stronger wind and lightnings and even more rain calm down only for a moment then more storm, lightnings and more rain calm down again,is it over? more storm rain,Rain,RAIN ----|-----G4------|-----G5-----|-----Coda------| Bar 95 103,6 111 119 130 136 155 | | | | | | | | Key -----f#dim--mod---Bbm--mod-----C---------------| iv V p cres f ff,sf p f dim pp Wind and Water flow forcefully CLIMAX RAIN,Rain,rain subsides storm is over rainbow

This movement expresses balanced ingredients of presentation, development and resolution which is a very satisfying outline. The harmonic scheme is not a typical scheme but there is a clear logic to it. It starts in Db (flatten sixth--in F major and augmented sixth in F minor). This effectively links the third movement to the fourth movement. Beethoven presents a smooth 20-bar introduction before entering a real storm (G1). The harmony, then, develops through dominant minor, submediant major, and other tonal areas(during the G2,G3) before intensifying at the climax with F#dim chord. The music then subsides to G5 which presents the same idea as in G3 but with lesser force (with a p dynamic mark). Then the music calms down to a tranquil 20-bar coda in C major which provides a smooth transition to the finale.

The 'Romantic' aspect of the fourth movement of the Pastoral symphony

According to Beethoven's own descriptions of each movement, the fourth movement portrays a sudden storm over a merry gathering of the peasants. Although Beethoven aims to make the Pastoral symphony more loftier than a simple tone painting, he feels the need to supply a title to each movement to guide listeners along his imagination path. The fourth movement is considered as having the most program-music character of all the movements. The diagram in section A shows the main structural landmarks of this movement. I will, with reference to the diagram above, discuss the following romantic aspects found in this movement :

• • Romantic touches from the element of continuity:

    • • continuity in melody, in movement connection

  • The `innig' aspect of Beethoven's music from:

    • • uses of colourful tonalities, uses of diminish seventh chords

      • uses of a full range dynamic, an explosive dynamic sf

  • Feelings, expressiveness:

    • • uses of freer musical form

      • uses of literal; metaphoric imitations

Bar 1-20 : ( A 20-bar introduction ) The key signature of the movement is four flats which implies the key of F minor or Ab major. Normally, both keys could be expected in later movements from a symphony opened in a key of F major. However, the storm movement displays a much more dramatic tonality plan. The tonality starts in Db major with a 'pp' dynamic, then moves up a tone to Eb minor before entering F minor with a full 'ff' dynamic. The starting in Db major is achieved from a chromatic movement from the bass of chord C7 (which hanging unresolved at the abrupted ending in the third movement) to a pianissimo, tremolo Db. A tremolo rhythmic figure; Motif a; and motif b are the main materials in this section. The tonality is steered by chromatic movements in the bass line (Db-D-Eb-E). All these are not common features in a classical style.

Bar 21-40 : ( The area of F minor tonality, the music gradually move to bar 32 before changing in materials and tonal colours. ) Again, conjunct movement in the bass is observed. The bass moves from F-G-A (bar 25-32) and from Bb-B-C (bar 33-35). Diminish seventh chords in bar 25-32 are innig. The main purpose of these diminish chords are to create a kind of special effects rather than to serve any specific harmonic function. David Wyn Jones suggests a modulation to the key of Bbm at bar 33 [Jones 95]. A quintuple scale-like figure and motif c are the main materials in bar 32-35. Motif d in bar 33, 34 is comparable to lightning. Motif e, which is a close kin to motif a, appears in bar 35 with the use of a 'sf' explosive dynamic.

Bar 41-55 : ( Starts with a brief landing at Db major tonality then modulates to various tonal areas. ) In this area, one hears a lot of thunderings and lightnings. Again, an explosive dynamic device is used. A continuity of bass line figure motif freminds us of the fluidity of substances.

Bar 56-77 : ( Continues to modulate to various tonal areas before passing to Cm. )Motif a is skillfully presented along the flow of tonality. I'm sure that one would realize a moment of lighter, brighter colour in the course of music in bar 64-67. This is the effect of a clear major chord (D major) among diminish and other dissonant chords. Towards the end of this group, the woodwinds appear very interesting (the clarinets syncopate motif b across the bar-line; the flutes double motif a with the violins).

Bar 78-103 : ( Eleven bars downward arpeggio motif (the development of motif c ?) with motif g played by bass and cello in the key of Cm (78-88) followed by motif e in Db (89-94) There is a long diminish chord before a climax in bar 106 (Edim---bar 95-102; then a chromatic bass line E-Eb-D-Db follows). I would be surprised if upon hearing bar 95-102 ,one does not think of some kind of fluidity character. This chromatic passage (motif h) possesses a romantic character and also imitates the violent flow of substance.

Bar 103-118 : ( Climax in bar 106-110 ) The use of the tremolo rhythmic figure and the quintuple scale-like figures strangely reminisces me of the music in bar 21. The uses of diminish chords in this area are also innig. The bass note stays at F# during the climax in bar 106-110 then lower a semitone to F and acts as dominant pedal for the coming new key (Bbm) in bar 119.

Bar 119-135 : Another eleven bars downward arpeggio motif as in bar 78, but this time in Bbm (a tone lower) and with a lower energy. The woodwinds section is very much softer (than the ones in bar 78). Towards the end, the bass strings interestingly ripple before settling into the C while the woodwinds softly play major second (F,G) before resolving into minor third (E,G).

Bar 136-155 : ( A 20-bar coda ) The music is settled over the C pedal (see a reduced score below) with the harmony in the key of C major. The movement ends in dominant (chord G in C major) which prepares for a new dominant (chord C in F major) in the next movement. The musical materials here are mostly rhythmic figures of the required harmonies. Beethoven gives a magic touch with an uplifting motif iin bar 146 follows by a repetitive bass (C) in bar 153 and concludes with a soaring C major scale by flutes.

In the Pastoral symphony, the fourth movement is connected to the third movement without a pause. The fourth movement also flows in to the last movement seamlessly. The bass line moves in conjunct motions for most of the time and the flowing diatonic or chromatic melodic lines are seen as general features of the movement. These continuity elements give a romantic touch to its appearance. The fourth movement possesses a unique tone colour; in contrast to a simple diatonic harmonic progression of happy, relaxing feelings found in the other movements. Basil Deane points out that the music does not travel to a minor key at all in the first movement, the minor triads also only appear four times and not in the main theme[Deane 71]. Beethoven also applies more colours in his orchestration in this movement. The wind section increases to sixteen from ten in the first and second movement (twelve in the third movement). Timpani are used only in this movement to exclusively associate with the stoke of lighting and the roll of thunder [Jones 95]. The used of quintuple and quartuple rhythmic figures simultaneously in cellos and basses give a special sound effect [Hopkins 81]. The movement, in general, possesses an 'innig' characteristic [Jones 88] which is seen throughout the fourth movement.

Expressiveness is an important character of this movement. Beethoven stays with a sonata form in the first movement and manages to suppress a dramatic quality in the development section [Rutter 88]. A development section in a sonata form format would provide enough dramatical tools under Beethoven's hand for this storm movement, but the master chooses to take a new format. I think Beethoven feels the need for expressiveness and therefore has decided to emphasize more on the emotions, feelings, expressive imitations than musical form. This does not mean there is no form in the movement, rather a different form structure is being used. Beethoven achieves the expressiveness in this movement by having music imitates (literally; metaphorically) nature. The music materials are then developed along the course of music and depict events from a sudden drizzle to a full scale storm before returning to a clear sky with rainbow at the far end of the horizon.

The last point is about 'freedom'. As being different from the norm does not necessarily mean being creative, the word freedom here does not mean absence of restrictions. Though Beethoven allows himself more freedom in this movement in terms of harmonic language and formal structure, this is only a side effect of romanticism in his work. I believe that this movement stems from a staunch believe in freedom. In other words, a composer writing in a freer style alone does not express romanticism.

Conclusion

The storm movement possesses many romantic traits from the uses of dynamics, harmonic colours, continuity in lines, movements and a freer form. It's interesting to see close relationship of some motifs to the motif a. It could be alluded that Beethoven composes this movement by presenting the metaphor of events found in a real storm in his motifs. I believe that a detailed interpretations of a program music is personal and subjective while a non detailed, qualitative interpretation is a universal appreciation. In this storm movement some may see birds seeking shelter, or even see rainbow from the transformation of the rain motif while others may not agree to the same pictures, but I'm sure one does feel an uplifting quality in music upon hearing the rainbow motif and the soaring flute.