Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op.

67

Written between 1804-1807, although likely that he was

still tweaking ideas until the premier performance in 1808.
Not a programmatic piece but Beethoven is said
to have described the opening motive as 'fate
knocking at the door'. May have been based on a
secret programme.

Premiered in the Theater an der

Wien on 22nd December 1808 at a
benefit concert to raise money for
Beethoven.

Most famous motto

theme there is. Also
sometimes known as
the 'fate' motif.

C minor tonality
Fast, with spirit

Flutes
Oboes

Dominates the 1st subject

Motto theme ( A1)

Clarinets in Bb
Bassoons

French horns in Eb
Trumpets in C

Timpani in C & G

Known as the 'x' rhythm

(A2) - contrapuntal

Loud, dramatic unison statements

Double bass

Exposition: 1st
subject

Imitative texture
Using horns in Eb and trumpets in C meant that
between them they could play more notes than if
they were both crooked to the same key.

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

Flute adds brilliance - plays higher than 1st violins

17

A1

Oboes usually play in the tessitura between

flutes and clarinets - mutual range

Clarinets have more demanding parts than in early

Classical period
Only Handstopped note in the movt
Subdominant statement

A2

Imperfect cadence:
ending on chord V

Transition to 2nd subject

34
Sustained chords in the wind

Rising sequence

Descending sequence
in violins
T1 - arpeggios

Tonic pedal on C

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

Exposition: 2nd subject

Modulation to Eb major has
occurred

49

Both players together

B1 - horn call (extended version of A1)

Sweetly

65

B2 - legato crotchets

Just one player

Lyrical idea in crotchets

known as the 'y' rhythm

Dominant pedal (Bb)

Use of sequence

Dominant to tonic enforcement in Eb major

Reminiscent of A1 in the bass line

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

Just 1 flute player

83
Just 1 oboe player

Tonic pedal (Eb)

B3 - quavers, accented
appoggiaturas

Tenor clef - middle

C where the point
98 crosses a line

T1

Codetta
4

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

Repeats back to the opening

113

Development
Descending arpeggio idea (T1)

A1

Tenor clef

Imitation of clarinet
opening in strings

Three emphatic perfect cadences to the rhythm of A1

130

Tonic pedal - new tonality of F minor

Descending sequence

A2

Modulation to F minor
(subdominant)

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

145

Plucked

158

Bowed

Tremolo - even quavers

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

171

B1

B1

188

Downward arpeggio figure in

staccato crotchets

Highest note clarinet plays in the 1st movt.

Homophonic texture

Shortened version of B1

Antiphonal exchanges
between wind and strings

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

206

Antiphonal exchanges become shorter and quieter

Get quieter

Always getting quieter

Highest note the oboe plays in the 1st movt.

A1

228

Abrupt interruption - variation of B1

Extremes of dynamics used

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

247

Recapitulation: 1st subject

Back in C minor

Countermelody in the bassoons

Cadenza-like oboe solo - replaces

subdominant statement of A1

262

Slowly

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

274

288

sudden loud accent

Transition

G major (1st inversion) rather than Bb (1st inversion), allowing the music to stay in the
tonic rather than modulate to the relative major

10

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

303

Recapitulation: 2nd subject

C major tonality

B1 now played on the bassoon rather than horns

Melody given to bassoons instead of horns due to the new tonality and the nature of two Handstopped
notes creating an undesirable uneven sound.

321

Change to B2 - sequential development in antiphonal two-bar phrases

Bassoons moving together in 3rds or octaves

11

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

Highest note the flute plays in the movt.

338

Timpani trills

353

12

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

366

C pedal

382

Diminished 7th chord

13

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

398

Coda

C minor tonality

Descending sequence - reminiscent of

crotchets in B2

Descending sequence based on bars 2-3 of B1

413

129 bars worth of coda - 1/4 of the length of the whole

movement. Takes this long to shift from C major back to C minor.

Angular melody in violins requiring rapid string crossing to play

14

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

Flutes, oboes and bassoons moving in
octaves

430

452

15

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

Restatement of A1 motto theme

472

A ghostly section based

on imitative A2 idea

Tonic and dominant pedal

Dominant pedal - repeated quavers

489

Ghostly idea abruptly ended with repeated perfect cadence to

the rhythm of A1
16