Back in high school, I had a debate/argument with a friend: Is it possible to have a melody made of a single pitch. He was adamant that it wasn’t possible, a melody requires contour otherwise it would simply be a rhythmic pattern. I argued a melody only needs to be able to communicate an idea, if a single pitch can accomplish this, then so be it. In my mind, I knew Ted was probably winning this discussion, but I remember declaring it a stalemate in order to avoid defeat. Today, I think I could probably write a song with a one pitch melody to prove my point, but it certainly would not be a compelling piece of music. If I had only been familiar with Beethoven’s 7th symphony when I was in high school, I would have had an ace up my sleeve for this argument.
The second movement of his symphony has a main theme that consists of 12 E’s in a row before changing pitch. Written in just letter names, underscores for longer notes, and slashes to divide the measures, the entire opening melody looks like this:
E_EE // E_E_ // E_EE // E_E_ // E_EF# // G_G_ // G_GG // G_G_ //
That’s about as close to a single pitched compelling melody that I think can be written. This movement, Allegretto, has an insistence throughout it, creating a sense of expectancy that becomes stronger and stronger as the movement progresses.
As we approach the midpoint of Lent. The somber, stoic nature of the first 3 minutes of this movement seem apt. The repetitious nature of both the melody and the rhythm (a pattern of long, short short, long, short short, dominates the entire movement) create a feeling of solemnity and solitude, themes of course also strongly associated with Lent. A crescendo (an increase in volume) builds over these opening three minutes until it crests with the whole orchestra accompanying the melody, full of pathos.
It then transitions to a tranquil pastoral theme. A reprieve from the first 3 minutes, but not without its own sense of foreboding built in. Underneath the serenity is a bass line puttering away with the same rhythmic motive mentioned before. Perhaps there’s a parallel here with Sundays in Lent, or maybe a connection with the grace given in sacrifice. However we look at it, it is gone quickly. 90 seconds after the tranquility began, we are hit with a strong reminder that this is not a happy piece. The rest of the 9 minute movement revolves around these two primary ideas.
This second movement was by far the most popular in the symphony when it premiered. Audiences would call for encores of it and it would repeated multiple times. Later, this movement would often be performed without its surrounding movements. However, the symphony as a whole was also a great success. Beethoven said it was “one of the happier products of my poor talents”. This was sorely needed positive in Beethoven’s life at the time, as not much was going well. His deafness was increasing daily, his current romantic exploit was failing, he was in some financial trouble, and Rosinini was eclipsing him in the musical world. Perhaps some of those struggles were excised through the composition and subsequent success of this movement.
I had been wanting to put a spotlight on this movement for a while as I have found it immensely moving and cathartic ever since I first heard it. I hope you find a similar therapeutic reaction.
-John