Beethoven’s Fifth and Seventh Symphonies: A Closer Look

Composers often write pieces in highly contrasting moods in very close proximity. But no composer took this process further than Beethoven. His famous Fifth Symphony, with an opening any child knows, became the standard for the Romantic, tragedy to triumph, victory symphony. The sunny Seventh however represents a high-water mark of relaxed lyricism and painting in tones. On a superficial listening, they couldn’t sound more different from one another. Yet by examining them more closely, they have more in common than their emotional trajectories might suggest. This book aids the listener in getting beneath the surface of these two beloved symphonies, revealing that however disparate the expressive message, the language and style remain Beethoven’s–a symphonic voice as powerful in struggle and victory as in relaxation and meditation.