Compare Essay

Since the purpose of this essay is to compare two pieces of music to a literature passage , I decided to apply the following methodology to this assignment . First of all , I carefully chose the two musical pieces that I found appealing and inspirational . Both of them are authored by Beethoven -- the genius among the classic composers and the man I truly and wholeheartedly admire

The first piece of music that was chosen is The Piano Concerto No . 5 in E-flat major , op . 73 , composed between 1809 and 1811 , also known as

Emperor Concerto . Since it was his last piano concerto , it is widely believed to represent the peak of his mastery of this genre . The piece consists of classical three movements , namely allegro , adagio un poco mosso , and rondo (allegro ma non troppo . The second piece chosen for the analysis is the Symphony No . 9 in D minor , Op . 125 `Choral ' written in 1824 . It is Beethoven 's last complete symphony , and the tragic mark of finiteness and demise is characteristic of this work , yet coupled with deep wisdom and strong intellectual touch

By the time Beethoven composed this symphony , he was almost completely deaf . However , he kept his unique vision and feeling of the music , and hearing impairment only enhanced his tragic genius

The symphony features the use of human voice in the forth movement when soloists and a chorus sing Schiller 's `Ode to Joy ' That was unusual of symphonic musical pieces of that time yet it is one of the reasons why the Symphony No . 9 is considered one of the most prominent masterpieces in the history of world music and was made the official anthem of the European Union

The symphony consists of four movements , namely allegro ma non troppo un poco maestoso molto vivace adagio molto e cantabile and recitative . Another innovation by Beethoven , apart from the use of human voice , was placing scherzo movement before the slow movement . Thus while the symphony follows the classical pattern , it is revolutionary and novel at the same time

Comparing The Piano Concerto No . 5 in E-flat major and the Symphony No 9 , it is hard not to notice some obvious differences . It would be a mistake to attribute them to the mere fact that the composer 's hearing abilities were different at the time he composed these two pieces . The Piano Concerto No . 5 does not break away from the musical tradition of those times Beethoven conveys his message using the traditional means and within the conventional framework . This piece of music makes listeners contemplate about their everyday lives and the simple rhythm of all the natural process , like the coming of spring after long and cold wintered , followed by a good summer for the crops and contemplative , meditative autumn

The Symphony No . 9 is different it is full of tragic , larger-than-life passions . It makes listeners think about life as a miracle and grandeur that is hard to comprehend for the earthy living beings . It calls...