Soundtracks:
Millions Like Us
The Longest Day
Counterpoint
Howards End
Nights of Cabiria
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Symphony No. 5 in C minor Opus 67
Beethoven's 5th Symphony is one of the best-loved symphonic pieces,
and perhaps the best-known classical piece in the world. This is one of
the rare encounters between uncompromising musical quality and huge success
among the masses. The four-notes theme that opens the work represents "fate
knocking on the door", and there is controversy over whether Beethoven
himself contributed to this image, or if it was suggested by a listener.
The image of fate knocking on the door suited well the spirit of the work
that Beethoven described as "the via dolorosa to the stars".
The struggle personified in this symphony is universal, and valid in every
historical confrontation. This is why the symphony became the symbol of
victory and hope Beethoven symbolizes as an artist - the hope to overcome
his private tragedy.
This is maybe the first symphony that transmitted a programme idea,
thus fitted the spirit of the recently-born Romanticism. Its four movements
correspond to the stages of the struggle:
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1
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War - an entire movement dealing with the development
of the opening motif, and demonstrating the struggle against uncompromising
fate.
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2
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Andante con moto - a calm movement representing hope.
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3
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The pain movement, presenting melancholy for losing the
fight, when the motif becomes a depressing march.
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4
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The victory movement, in which we celebrate and rejoice,
in spite of the loss and the pain of war. In this movement the trombones
will be introduced for the first time in a symphony, used as an important
element of power and expression, in this work's finale.
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The Fifth Symphony, a piece that rightfully won immediate success, became
the symbol of struggle and the victory of good over evil ever since. The
motif that opens the symphony turned into the opening theme of radio transmissions
of the Western Allies in the Second World War, because it resembles the
letter "V" in Morse code - the sign of victory.
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