KNOW YOUR CLASSICS
THIS is one of a further series of articles written for "The Listener"
by
BESSIE
POLLARD
As with the preceding series, published
| some time ago, the aim is to help the student and the interested
listener towards a more complete appreciation of good music.
i 17) Prometheus Overture, Op. 43 (Beethoven ) NE of Beethoven’s first works to have any connection with the theatre was the music for the ballet Prometheus, commissioned by Salvatore Vigano, the most famous dancer and ballet impresario of his day. The first performance took place in Vienna in March, 1801, with enormous success, further enhancing Beethoven’s growing reputation at that time. In, all, the music consisted of an Overture, an Introduction and 16 incidental numbers; the Introduction movement is said to foreshadow the "storm" section of the Pastoral Symphony, while, in the Finale, there appeared a theme which Beethoven later used in the Piano Variations, Op. 35, and in the Eroica Symphony. Of this Brometheus music, the Overture alone has survived. : The Overture begins with an Adagio introductory section of. about 16 bars, beginning with a series of. commanding chords, which usher in a tender oboe theme | of great loveliness-
In bar 17 the Overture proper (Allegro molto con brio) starts with the bubbling main theme of the work, announced pianissimo by first violins-
The second sufject, more subdued and lyrical in saieaate is nerd in thirds from the woodwind, starting in bar 49-
After some working-out of the second subject, a strong viola theme, with the characteristic Beethoven "loud-soft" sudden alternations, is heard, commencing in bar 81- : _
A strong climax is reached in bar 101, when the following passage, slightly « reminiscent of the second subject, makes its appearance-
All this quoted thematic material is more or less developed as it appearsalmost immediately following the exposition or "statement of material" section, Beethoven seems to substitute a completely varied restatement section for the more orthodox development, or "working-out" section, : Prometheus Overture, Op. 43, by Beethoven, will be heard from Station 4YA on Sunday, May 8, at 9.22 p.m.
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 20, Issue 514, 29 April 1949, Page 26
Word count
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344KNOW YOUR CLASSICS New Zealand Listener, Volume 20, Issue 514, 29 April 1949, Page 26
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Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
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