Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 Pastoral | Sylvain Cambreling & Kammerorchester Basel

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 – the Pastoral Symphony – is one of the music’s most iconic depictions of nature. Here, it’s being performed at the 2021 Beethovenfest Bonn by the Kammerorchester Basel, conducted by Sylvain Cambreling, in the World Conference Center (WCCB).

(00:00) Opening
(00:23) I. Allegro ma non troppo: Erwachen heiterer Empfindungen bei der Ankunft auf dem Lande (Awakening of cheerful feelings upon arrival in the country)
(11:39) II. Andante molto mosso: Szene am Bach (Scene at the brook)
(23:42) III. Allegro: Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute (Merry gathering of country folk)
(29:05) IV. Allegro: Gewitter, Sturm (Thunderstorm; Storm)
(32:56) V. Allegretto: Hirtengesang. Frohe und dankbare Gefühle nach dem Sturm (Shepherds' song; cheerful and thankful feelings after the storm)

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) completed his Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 in 1808. At the time, the musician was already known for his breaking with traditional patterns, and this symphony was no exception. A great lover of walks in the countryside, he came up with the idea of representing nature through composition; rural scenes and pastoral life were to receive musical depictions.

The composer concerned himself not at all with the direct representation of specific natural events, however – it was ideas and sensations that were to serve as inspirations for the composition. Later, this new approach – in which the musical form had receded into the background – was called a ‘symphony of ideas’. Beethoven’s Sixth contains five movements. In addition to the usual tempo indications, the composer provided descriptive titles for each.

The symphony begins with an ‘awakening of cheerful feelings on arrival in the countryside’, to be taken at an Allegro ma non troppo tempo – ‘fast, but not exceedingly so’.

This first movement of Beethoven's Sixth involves a number of tempos, moods, feelings, and effects. One thing is notably absent, however – that driving thrust so typical for Beethoven; the struggle and passion of striving towards the attainment of a goal. Instead, the primary theme repeats. In parts of the first movement, time seems to slow down – and even stand still. The composer himself said of the first movement that it ought to be "More an expression of feeling than tone-painting."

The symphony’s second movement evokes images of ripples on a creek and birdsong. To heighten the impression, Beethoven added the description ‘scene at the brook’ to the tempo heading Andante molto mosso – ‘as though walking, very moving’. Beethoven rarely explained his music, but in this case, he remarked: "It's left to the listener to figure out the situations. Anyone who has any idea of life in the countryside can discern the composer's intent even without titles or headings."

In his notes for the musicians, Beethoven goes into greater detail, indicating in the score that the calls of the nightingale, the quail and the cuckoo are to be rendered by the flute, the oboe and two clarinets. The final three movements begin with a 'merry gathering of country folk', with the tempo called for being Allegro – ‘quick and bright’.

Altogether, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 anticipates what later would become known as ‘program music’ – music that describes a situation or tells a story. At the merry gathering we can make out an oom-pah-pah village band which is not quite playing together, rendering it all the more boisterous as if to make up for it.

"My decree," wrote Ludwig van Beethoven: "Stay in the countryside. My unfortunate hearing problem doesn't plague me here. It's as though, in the country, every tree was speaking to me. Holy, holy! Who can express it all? Sweet quietude of the forest!"

That same sweet quietude comes to an abrupt end in the fourth movement, with the arrival of a ‘thunderstorm’, to be taken at a fast clip – Allegro. It's the shortest yet most dramatic movement of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony. Thunder, screeching wind and a downpour are all readily invoked.

Following the country folk’s merriment and the storm comes the finale of Beethoven's Sixth; a ‘shepherds’ song’ of ‘cheerful and thankful feelings after the storm’. This closing part of the piece is characterized by fairly brisk pace – Allegretto.

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