Brahms- Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, op. 68 Part III
We conclude our discussion of Brahms Symphony No. 1 in C Minor with the incredible fourth movement.
- Un poco sostenuto- Allegro
- Andante sostenuto
- Un poco allegretto e grazioso
- Adagio- Piu andante- Allegro non troppo
IV. Adagio- Piu andante- Allegro non troppo
The last movement of the symphony begins with a somewhat ambiguous melody with a descending bass/wind line and a simple figure in the violins. A series of gradually accelerating pizzicatos in the strings climax at 0:57 (IVa), followed by a flute descent that in turn is followed by a deeper, more powerful version of the initial violin theme in the strings. The pizzicato passage returns, again followed by the wind descent. This time the strings play a quick ascent and descent followed by another 3-note motive from the winds before the winds and strings climb slowly upward, peaking at 2:05 before falling rapidly. They try to rise quickly again, but fail this time as well. A loud 3-note brass figure (2:23) followed by a timpani roll diminishes into quite literally a state of nothingness with only a few instruments sustaining. It’s like gazing into the deepest recesses of outer space- there is no concept of time or existence for several seconds before Brahms gives us one of the most remarkable passages in the whole of western music.
Out of this vast, empty space, a solo horn (2:35) emerges from the background with a majestic and benevolent four-note descent. It is an alphorn melody Brahms heard while he was in Switzerland. A lush, scintillating tremolo in the strings follows along with a hushed bassoon. It’s as if the sun has broken through the clouds after a terrible storm and the sun sparkles off the mountain peaks- a ray of hope. Once you hear this melody, you know everything is going to turn out all right- to say that this is epic music is a huge understatement! The horn is followed by a solo flute (3:04), who, with a softly descending trumpet and later the horn and bassoon, continues playing the melody against the serene harmonic backdrop held steady by a pedal C in the orchestral basses.* At 3:37 the trombones (who have remained silent for the entire duration of the symphony thus far) enter with a quiet hymn of thanksgiving. The timpani resume their low rumbling as the horns sequence the first motive of the alpine theme upwards before the horns, flute, and clarinet finish the adagio section with a soft chord in unison.
The theme that follows the adagio section of the fourth movement is one of the most memorable in the symphonic repertoire. Heard first in the orchestral cellos (IVb, 0:00), it is accompanied by pizzicato strings and pianissimo timpani. The theme is broad and comforting. At 0:37 the theme moves to the flutes. By the time the flutes are finishing their statement the orchestra is nearly boiling over with energy, and they jump in (1:08) even before the flutes are finished. The orchestral statement of the theme starts out just as stately as the original, but soon loses its way in a series of uneven descents (1:13) and subsequent ascents (1:21). A brief transition passage follows, resolving into flute and horn motives (1:48) based on the theme. A calm but steady string melody leads to an oboe solo at 2:22. Upon the conclusion of the oboe solo the strings work themselves into a frenzy, playing rapidly ascending and descending lines followed by a dotted rhythm (2:51) answered enthusiastically by the orchestra. The oboe plays the dotted rhythm but is quickly cut off by boisterous triplets in the strings (3:10)- a triumphant version of the angry triplet motive we heard in the first movement. The oboe returns to finish its phrase, and after a short flute interjection the momentum builds with the triplet rhythm dominating both the rhythm and harmony. This “triplet” passage resolves into a series of notes in orchestral unison that return us to the andante theme.
The repeat of the andante theme at 4:05 starts off as before. After the initial statement of the cello, the winds try to repeat the theme twice, but are interrupted by blaring horns and accelerating pizzicato strings before being temporarily silenced by the full orchestra at 5:13. We realize shortly after that there is more struggle ahead, for at 5:29 a series of chaotic ascending and descending lines in the strings recall the uncertainty of the first movement. The oboe and flute sing a quiet song of reassurance (5:58) atop a tumultuous sea of string descents. At 6:23 the strings boil over: the descending thirds we heard back in the first movement return and usher in more rapid string passages that lead to massive four-note motives in the brass (6:43) which soon jump to the strings and winds. The orchestra then climb and begin to repeat in rapid succession a figure based off of the first three notes of the alpine melody.
A grand pause at 7:18 reunites the orchestra with alpine motives throughout the orchestra. The music slows before a two-note, single step ascent in the contrabassoon, cellos, and basses before a four-note descending motive begins to take over first in the violins and then in the winds. At 8:58 the strings become frantic again with rapid descending and ascending lines. The dotted rhythm is answered by the orchestra, and after a wind figure the boisterous triplets return and spread throughout the orchestra. The triplet passage ends on 8 tutti chords (10:16).
The coda (itself in two parts!) begins with a series of rising motives that are passed around the orchestra. These are followed by corresponding falling motives. Powerful brass figures augmented by timpani urge the music onward (10:31) and the music orchestra responds- gradually accelerating into 8 loud chords (10:55) and taking us into the final section of the movement.
Triumphant brass fanfares play atop proud strings playing a march-like motive, who soon assert themselves as equal partners in this grand enterprise in a dialogue with the winds and brass. The music builds to a grand fanfare (the trombone hymn from the Andante!) in orchestral unison (11:16) complete with fortissimo timpani hits, as if to erase any doubt that the orchestra has united and triumphed against adversity. A strange asymmetric melody follows- perhaps one last dance of joy- before the music gets more conventional. A rising wind line is echoed by the strings before ascending triplets lead to to two grand pauses (11:47). An orchestral arpeggiated descent (11:55) leads to the return of the marching strings sequenced higher and higher and the trombones, neglected for so long, get one last shot at glory with a rising arpeggio. The symphony ends on 5 tutti chords.
*It was this exact passage that Howard Shore clearly modeled the track, “The Black Gate Opens” with James Galway in the score of the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.
Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 in C Minor was immediately dubbed “The Tenth!” by influential conductor Hans von Bulow after its premiere. In typical Brahmsian style no idea goes to waste- each theme is built off the one before it, each measure carefully and meticulously planned to give maximum musical value while at the same time holding tremendous power of expression. While perhaps a great tribute to Beethoven, Brahms’ First is very much his own and the first in a brilliant series of symphonies that combine the form and structure of the classical era with the Romantic ideals of expression and emotion.
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If you are interested in listening to a recording, I recommend Wolfgang Sawwalish’s 2007 recording with the London Philharmonic on EMI. You can buy this recording from Amazon by clicking on the image below (download only). Alternatively, you can purchase this recording from the iTunes Music Store often at a reduced price by following the link below.
This article is part of the Music 365 series. To find out more about this project, please visit the project homepage.
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