Beethoven's Symphony 3 "Eroica" (Heroic) was the composition that altered the direction of symphonic music. Premiered privately in 1804 at the Palais Lobkowitz, the palace of Beethoven's patron, Prince Lobkowitz, and publicly premiered at the Theatre an der Vien in Vienna the following year, the Eroica was longer, louder, more complex, more expressive, more autobiographical, and more controversial than any symphony composed to the time.
The Eroica also broke with many traditions of established music composition in that Beethoven's primary objective was self-expression rather than adhering to standard formal procedures. The recent personal crisis to cope with the gradual loss of his hearing led Beethoven to reinvent himself and his music.
 |
| THEATRE AN DER VIEN IN 1805 |
The first movement musically describes the heroic struggle using an Eb Major triad to represent the hero. Rhythmic and harmonic instability are overcome throughout the movement after massive struggles in the extensive development section and the coda which essentially constitutes a second development.
The second movement deals with the death of the pre-crisis Beethoven. Musically, the movement is in the style of a funeral march and contains many powerful passages.
The third movement scherzo depicts rebirth through a spirited theme and a trio featuring french horns playing in a hunting style. Beethoven added a third horn to the orchestra to create the triadic harmonies in the trio.
The fourth movement is about reaching the pinnacle of the new heroism. Formally, the finale is a variations movement based on two themes, one of which becomes the bass accompaniment to the other. The symphony ends with a triumphal celebration in Eb Major.
