The work is in four
movements: Depending upon the conductor's style and observation of the
exposition repeat in the first movement, the typical performance time is between 45 and 55 minutes.
I. Allegro con brio {{Quote frame| { \new PianoStaff 4-.(_\f r2 q4-. r2 \bar "" } >> \new Staff 4-. r2 q4-. r2 \bar "" } >> >> } The first movement, in
time, is in
sonata form, with typical performances between 12 and 18 minutes long depending on interpretation and whether the
exposition repeat is played. Unlike the longer
adagio introductions in Beethoven's first two symphonies, the movement opens with two loud E major chords, played by the whole orchestra, that establish the tonality of the movement. The conductor
Kenneth Woods has noted that the opening movement of
Eroica was inspired by and modeled on Mozart's
Symphony No. 39, and shares many attributes of that earlier symphony which precedes this one by a decade and a half.
Exposition {{Quote frame| \new Staff \relative c{ \clef bass \key ees \major \time 3/4 \tempo "Allegro con brio" \tempo 2 = 80 \[^"a" ees2 g4 ees2 bes4 \] \[^"b" ees4 g bes \] \[^"c" ees,2 d4 cis2.~\] cis \bar "" } The exposition has three thematic groups with varying interpretations of functionality. • First group (measures 3–44, E major) • Second group (measures 45–83, B major) • Third group (measures 84–155, B major) The exposition begins with the
cellos introducing the first
theme. By the fifth bar of the melody (
m. 7), a
chromatic note (C) is introduced, thus introducing the harmonic tension of the work. The melody is finished by the first
violins, with a
syncopated series of Gs (which forms a
tritone with C of the cellos and a diminished chord). This resolves to the dominant of the
relative minor (G/C minor) before a short cadential codetta in E major. The first theme is then transferred to wind instruments, then fragmented, moving through other keys with the
b motif in canon and interchanged with a
hemiola in the dominant, later moving between dominant and tonic. The main theme is finally restated with full orchestra in
a and
b before modulating to F major and the dominant B in group 2. {{Quote frame| \new Staff > The
modulation to the
dominant key of
B appears at mm. 42–44, although it is not yet fully stabilized and entrenched. Here follows a group of three or two subjects: a lyrical downward
motif (mm. 45–56) in canon between oboe, clarinet, flute, and violin; a short upward
scale motif (mm. 57–64) in strings with a variation; and a section beginning with rapid downward patterns in the violins (mm. 65–82). The third theme of the second group eventually leads to a lyrical theme (m. 83), whose second half of the theme eventually builds to a loud melody (m. 109) that draws upon the earlier downward motif (m. 113). The climactic moment of the exposition arrives when the music is interrupted by six consecutive
sforzando hemiola chords (mm. 128–131). Later, and following the concluding chords of the exposition (mm. 144–148), the main theme returns in a brief
codetta (m. 148) that transitions into the repeat / development. The status of these groups is debated as to which is more important in the structure. In the traditional analysis, the three early motifs are
transitional subjects to arrive at the "unusually late" lyrical theme. The early modulation to B had been present in early drafts of the symphony, as was the indecisive nature of the second group. Commenters have also observed that the sonata form and orchestration transitions would be fully preserved by cutting the third group (m. 83–143).
Recapitulation The
recapitulation starts in the tonic E♭ major as expected, but then features a sudden excursion to
F major early on albeit one that is "large and amply developed" and in which the principal theme has the functions of a
refrain as in
rondo form. However, it can also be analyzed as having five parts, a combination of ternary, rondo, and sonata form: The A theme of the outer scherzo section appears
pianissimo in the
dominant key of B (mm. 7, 21), then
piano in the secondary dominant key of F which is when the B part of the outer scherzo is heard (m. 41). This is followed by a pianissimo restart in B (m. 73), which is when the A theme is heard again, leading to a full
fortissimo statement in the tonic key of E (m. 93). Later, a downward
arpeggio motif with
sforzandos on the second beat is played twice in
unison, first by the strings (mm. 115–119) and then by the full orchestra (mm. 123–127). This is followed by a
syncopated motif characterized by descending fourths (m. 143), leading to the repeat. The trio section features three horns, the first time this had appeared in the symphonic tradition. Fabrizio Della Seta lays out the themes as such in the table: The following table recounts multiple interpretations of the variations, although this list is not exhaustive: After a short introduction on the
tutti that begins with the
mediant chord that transitions to the
dominant seventh, the quiet theme, in
E major, first appears and then is subjected to a series of ten variations: • Variation 1: The first variation repeats the theme in "
arco" while a new accompaniment is introduced. (E major) • Variation 2: The next variation, containing a new
triplet accompaniment, leads to: (E major) • Variation 3: Where a new melody is introduced while the theme is still played on the bass. A brief transitional passage leads to: (E major) • Variation 4: In
C minor, a fugue that starts quietly and suspensefully on the strings as it builds up to a dramatic and urgent climax. (See
Beethoven and C minor.) • Variation 5: The playful fifth variation is in
D major, involving a statement of the theme where the bass instruments play the first clause of the first half in a minor mode, before correcting themselves and moving to the major for the second clause. The variation also includes two virtuosic solo passages for the
flute which accompany the melodic line. This directly leads to: • Variation 6: A stormy and raging variation in
G minor, reminiscent of a
Romani style dance. • Variation 7: An incomplete variation, which begins with a simple restatement of the first half of the theme in
C major, before an almost immediate switch back to the minor mode in order to bring the piece into: • Variation 8: Another fugue, now it is bright and energized, as this time it is in the tonic (E major) instead of the
submediant. It builds up to a climax again; the orchestra pauses on the dominant of the home key, and the theme is further developed in: • Variation 9: At this point, the tempo slows down to Poco Andante, and the piece becomes more serene and tranquil. The theme, first stated by an
oboe and then by the strings, here is contemplative and wistful, bringing a greater sense of depth to what has been heard before. During the second half, another triplet accompaniment is introduced in the higher strings, while the melodies, played by the woodwinds, are made of syncopated
16th and
8th notes. (E major) • Variation 10: The final variation, which is when the "full image" of
The Eroica is heard. Triumphant and heroic plunges are constantly heard on the tutti, with the triplet accompaniment from the previous variation still present, as the melody from the third variation, now victorious and energized, is heard on the brass. (E major) The symphony ends with a coda, which takes image on all previous sections and variations of the movement. At the end of the coda, there is a "surprise", which is when the dynamic changes from '
on the flute, bassoon, and strings only to ' all of a sudden by a huge crash on the whole orchestra, as the tempo abruptly changes to
Presto. A flurry of sforzandos appear, and the finale ends triumphantly with three large E major chords on the tutti. == History ==