<p align="center"><a href="http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/eroica.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2004" src="http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/eroica.jpg" alt="" width="128" height="193" /></a><a href="http://bks8.books.google.com/books?id=IwjZmTjlEvEC&amp;printsec=frontcover&amp;img=1&amp;zoom=1&amp;edge=curl">http://bks8.books.google.com/books?id=IwjZmTjlEvEC&amp;printsec=frontcover&amp;img=1&amp;zoom=1&amp;edge=curl</a></p>
Originally titled ‘Bonaparte,’ Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony, or Sinfonia eroica, was completed in 1804 in Vienna, Austria. The Eroica (“Heroic”) Symphony is a piece of orchestral instrumental music made up of four parts, said to be “an authentic watershed work” which marks a turning point in modern music (Joseph). “The symphony begins with an Allegro in E-flat that is vigorously scored; a Funeral March in C minor follows which is later developed fugally. After this comes an Allegro scherzo and a Finale, both in E-flat.” (Forbes). This work should be preserved because it broke the rules of classical symphony, exampling true creativity and originality.<!--more-->

During the late 1700’s and early 1800’s, orchestras were still relatively new and were becoming more popular. Lots of new instruments, specifically brass, were being invented due to the industrial revolution, including the French Horn and the Flugelhorn. Pianos, although were already invented and used, became more popular because their construction was improved. Along with new inventions, came improvements (such as valves), and new thinking, such as to use lighter pressure on mouthpieces. All this resulted in popularizing the orchestra.

The French declared war on Spain in 1793 which sparked “anti French fervor.” When peace was declared, hatred continued because Napoleon refused to recognize Spain’s leader and installed his own brother to the throne, and this caused nationwide revolt (Calkins). The Industrial Revolution also had a big impact on people’s lives during this time and “stimulated growth in Europe's urban centers” and “provided the basis for the West's controlling influence over the rest of the world” (Fiero).

This work is typical of its time because it was partly inspired by heroism. During the nineteenth century, the Romantics “exalted the creative individual in the person of the hero” (Fiero), and the Eroica Symphony was dedicated to a Napoleon, a hero in Beethoven’s eyes. It was also typical during the nineteenth century to rid of the Enlightenment values of “order, clarity, and rational restraint,” and embrace the Romantic values of spontaneity, imagination, and nonconformity which proves to be true in the Eroica Symphony with its daring length and disorderly elements (Fiero). It was typical because it was an orchestra, and orchestras “grew to grand proportions” in this era (Fiero). Songs that dealt with the theme of death were significant in this time, and the Eroica falls typical to this because it had a Funeral March in its second part. It followed the “standard number and order of movements found in the classical symphony” (Fiero). Another trend popular in this era was Promethean myth, and in the last movement, Beethoven included “musical passages originally written for a ballet on the subject of Prometheus” (Fiero).

This work is innovative because it was far longer than any symphony before it - twice the length of Mozart’s or Haydn’s (it is made up of four parts all together totaling about forty five minutes and thus was usually performed first, as Beethoven suggested in a note on the original edition of Eroica). “Besides being a work of revolutionary import because it greatly extended the possibilities of symphonic form, was significant because it was originally [dedicated] to Napoleon Bonaparte” but Beethoven erased the dedication when Napoleon became emperor (“Beethoven…”). This work is “‘unusual’ and ‘fantastic,’ combining ‘heterogeneous’ elements” (Sipe). It is unusual because instead of the traditional two themes, it has six, and instead of the traditional minuet there is a “scherzo.” Using the musical dynamics of “gradations of loudness and softness” set him as “more explicit and varied than his classical predecessors” (Fiero). “The forcefulness, expanded range and evident radical intent of [Eroica Symphony] sets [it] apart from symphonies in the 18th-century tradition” (Joseph).

There was mixed initial reception for this piece. Some believed this was Beethoven’s masterpiece and is the “true style for high-class music,” others claimed it has no artistic value and failed to achieve “beauty or true sublimity and power,” and others stood in between saying it “contains many beauties but concedes that the connection is often disrupted entirely” (Sipe). Also, the length of this symphony was a common complaint. In 1805, the Eroica Symphony was reviewed and praised as a “splendid artistic production” (Forbes). But in contrast, another reviewer “was disturbed that this symphony lacked overall unity as a result of many ‘glaring and bizarre’ elements” (Reynolds). In particular, Friedrich Weber, the director of the Prague Conservatory, referred to the Eroica as an “abortion” (Sipe).

During time, critic’s judgments were softened, and after 1805, negative critics were scarce. By 1807, it was “favorably acknowledged by both experts and amateurs” (Sipe). Today, the Eroica Symphony is considered Beethoven’s greatest achievement, a landmark, as it perfected the new ‘symphonic ideal.’ It also is believed that it “initiates a new era for the arts and … is definitive for the realm of musical art” (Marx).

I believe this work is wonderful. The first movement particularly gives me a sense of prestige and importance. There are some slow soft calming parts throughout the whole piece, which I enjoy, and there are upbeat loud exciting parts which I also enjoy. Through my research, I now understand the history behind this work, and it is not “just another classical music song” to me, but a representation of innovation and creativity. It is especially interesting to me because it is nearly an hour long, and I find that incredible for one piece of music.

Written in 1830, Berlioz’s “Symphonie fantastique” is under the “program music” category, as well is the Eroica. Program music is “instrumental music endowed with a specific literary or pictorial content indicated by the composer” (Fiero). Both of these pieces are similar in length; Symphonie fantastique is also nearly an hour long. They are also alike in their reception. Wagner says Symphonie fantastique is “rich in inspiration and imagination; flawed but the work of a genius” (Barry). While the Eroica is said to possess originality, Berlioz’s work is also said to have “boldness and originality” (Hugh). These two symphonies both start off with an Allegro and have a march and a finale. Both of these works were inspired by their artist’s love of another person; Beethoven’s idolization of Napoleon, and Berlioz’s love for a woman.

Differences are that Berlioz’s work has five parts, where Beethoven’s has only four. A characteristic of “Symphonie fantastique” is that it has “idée fixe” (“fixed idea”) where he “links a specific mood or event to a musical phrase” (Fiero), which is not seen in the Eroica. This symphony is about a musician’s “opium-induced dream” (Fiero). “At one stroke the symphony as a form became a fully-fledged medium of explicit drama,” (Hugh), where the Eroica is not necessarily seen as a drama. Symphonie fantastique has a sequel, “<em>Le retour à la vie</em>” and the Eroica does not have a sequel.

The most significant thing for future generations to be aware of about the Eroica Symphony is that it broke the rules of classical symphony. This piece is an example that you can stray from the norm and achieve amazing. You don’t have to stick to the rules or fit in with the styles of music in order for it to be great. The Eroica Symphony possesses creativity and originality definitely worth preservation for future generations and music lovers to come.

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<p align="center">Works Cited</p>
Barry Millington, et al. "Wagner." <em>Grove Music Online</em>. <em>Oxford</em><em> Music Online</em>. 27 Oct. 2011 &lt;http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/subscriber/article/grove/music/29769-2001-10-31pg1&gt;.

This article is about Wagner’s early life and career, as well as some of his family members. I used this for his review of Symphonie fantastique.

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"Beethoven, Ludwig van." <em>The Oxford Dictionary of Music</em>, 2nd ed. rev. Ed. Michael

Kennedy. <em>Oxford</em><em> Music Online</em>. 13 Oct. 2011

&lt;http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/subscriber/article/opr/
237/e1035&gt;.

This is an article about Beethoven and his life in Vienna and his influence. This is a source where I found out about the original dedication to Napoleon.

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Calkins, Susanna. "La Saragossa." <em>Great Lives from History: The Nineteenth Century</em>.

Ed. John Powell. 4 vols. Salem Press, 2007. <em>Salem</em><em> History</em> Web. 24 Oct. 2011.

This is an article about “La Saragossa.” I used this for reference to historical context.

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Fiero, First. <em>The Humanistic Tradition</em>. 13. 2. McGraw-Hill, eBook

This is a textbook about Humanities with mentions of history, art, and ideas around the world. I used this source for historical context and typical trends and styles of its time as well as specific descriptions of the Eroica Symphony and Symphonie fantastique.

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Forbes, Elliot. <em>Thayer's Life of Beethoven</em>. 1. Princeton University Press, 1992. eBook.

&lt;http://books.google.com/books/feeds/volumes?q=0-691-09103&gt;.

This is a book about Beethoven; a biography, his works, and reception. This source was used for the brief description of the work, and receptions from its time.

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Hugh Macdonald. "Berlioz, Hector." <em>Grove Music Online</em>. <em>Oxford</em><em> Music Online</em>. 27 Oct.

2011.

This article is about Berlioz’s symphonies. I used it to find information in order to compare “Symphonie fantastique” with the Eroica.

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Joseph Kerman, et al. "Beethoven, Ludwig van." <em>Grove Music Online</em>. <em>Oxford</em><em> Music</em>

<em>Online</em>. 18 Oct. 2011

&lt;http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/subscriber/article/gro

e/music/40026pg14&gt;.

This is an article about Beethoven’s life; childhood, his works, influence and reception. This source I used for helping support my thesis.

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Marx, Adolf Bernhard. <em>Musical form in the age of Beethoven: selected writings on theory</em>

<em>and method</em>. Cambridge University Press, 1997. eBook.

This is a book about Marx’s progressive program, and a detailed critical analysis of the Eroica. This source I used for today’s reception.

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Reynolds, Christopher. <em>Beethoven Forum</em>. 1. U of Nebraska Press, 1992. eBook.

&lt;http://books.google.com/books/feeds/volumes?q=9780803239067&gt;.

This book is a compilation of many different studies on Beethoven. I used this source to find a negative review of Eroica.

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Sipe, Thomas. <em>Beethoven, Eroica symphony </em>. Cambridge University Press, 1998. eBook.

This book examines the Eroica symphony; politics, aesthetics, reception, and musical meaning. This is a source I used to find out the receptions (positive and negative) of the work from when it was first performed.