Interesting idea of Greenberg's, though I'm not sure I agree with him. Thanks for mentioning it, and encouraging me with the thought that my articles are being read.
Hi all
Ref David Barker's item on humour in Mozart and Beethoven:
https://www.musicwebinternational.com/2023/01/humour-in-classical-music-2-mozart-beethoven/
... there's another Beethoven one.
Prof Robert Greenberg, in his 'Great Courses' lectures on Beethoven's symphonies, suggests (well, flat-out asserts really) that the opening motif in the Second's fourth movement represents another sort of movement, one of the gastric variety from which Beethoven was a longtime sufferer. The symphony's Wikipedia page summarises it pretty well:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._2_ (Beethoven)#Fourth_movement
'Musicological overreach' it may be, but it's certainly an odd motif, and I for one can no longer hear it any other way -- nor without smiling (whether that was Beethoven's intention is another matter!)
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