Beethoven-Liszt - Symphony 7 - II. Allegretto - Cyprien Katsaris Piano

This is the second movement of Beethoven’s seventh symphony as arranged by Franz Liszt and performed by Cyprien Katsaris. Beethoven composed his 7th symphony (Op. 92) from 1811-1812. In some passages, Cyprien Katsaris made modifications to Liszt’s arrangement including adding notes for instruments that Liszt had omitted. Wikipedia has this information about the symphony and the second movement: “II. Allegretto The second movement in A minor has a tempo marking of Allegretto (“a little lively“), making it slow only in comparison to the other three movements. This movement was encored at the premiere and has remained popular since. Its reliance on the string section makes it a good example of Beethoven’s advances in orchestral writing for strings, building on the experimental innovations of Haydn. The movement is structured in a double variation form. It begins with the main melody played by the violas and cellos, an ostinato (repeated rhythmic figure, or ground bass, or passacaglia of a quarter note, two eighth notes and two quarter notes). This melody is then played by the second violins while the violas and cellos play a second melody, described by George Grove as, “like a string of beauties hand-in-hand, each afraid to lose her hold on her neighbours“. The first violins then take the first melody while the second violins take the second. This progression culminates with the wind section playing the first melody while the first violin plays the second. After this, the music changes from A minor to A major as the clarinets take a calmer melody to the background of light triplets played by the violins. This section ends thirty-seven bars later with a quick descent of the strings on an A minor scale, and the first melody is resumed and elaborated upon in a strict fugato.“ Sources: Sheet Music: Symphony 7: (Beethoven) Cyprien Katsaris: