Sketches for the Ninth Symphony, op. 125, First movement (1820-1822)
This midi file, presented by courtesy of its author, Gerd Prengel, renders the most relevant sketches for the 1st movement on the Ninth symphony, mainly those for exposition and the development. The sketches are primarily from sketchbooks Landsberg 8/1 and 8/2 and selected leaves that once were part of those sketchbooks.
Gerd Prengel writes:
The introduction and the main theme is found from the beginning but the rest in the first trials is very awkward and still far from the final version, but from new trial to new trial we can see how he proceeds and the movement gets shape. First he works only on the exposition. After this has found a form which is maybe 60% of the final version he starts with the development, and these sketches are the most fascinating ones, mainly dealing with a counterpoint exploration of the main theme, but still pretty far from the version in the form we know today. The sketches for the recapitulation right away come very close to the final version and what he develops here later will in some cases also be included in the exposition. The sketches for the coda are rather short.
After these sketch phase he began to write the score (not in my midi). Especially the development and the coda find here their final form. In this score version however are so many changes and corrections that he had to write a new and final score autograph.
Some more detailed explanations:
Time Mark Measure Sketch for measure in of Midi of Midi the final score Sketches for the Exposition 00:01 1 1 First draft of the main theme as in the score in d minor and Bb Major 01:05 41 17 A new draft for the main theme, coming closer to the score 01:39 63 An attempt to develop the main theme 01:48 68 13 3rd draft for the opening of the exposition with a thrilling passage at m. 90 (02:24) 03:05 116 219 The first appearance of an 1/8 countersubject which plays a significant role later in the development 03:26 130 102 First appearance of the rhytmic 3rd theme but with another dolce response 03:39 138 138 First sketch for a figure for the end part of the exposition 03:46 141 A later abandoned draft for the end of the exposition 04:56 185 74 First sketch for the 2nd theme 05:05 191 150 End of the expostion, coming close to the score 05:15 197 Extended draft for the exposition, 2nd theme and further themes have been found 09:24 340 132 First attempt for the fast 1/32 passage 09:36 348 132 Second attempt for the fast 1/32 passage Sketches for the development 09:55 358 Very interesting sketch where Beethoven uses the second motif of the main theme as a countersubject for the first motif. Very thrilling, but nonetheless Beethoven abandoned this later. 10:18 370 218 Sketches for the gigantic c minor fugato 10:55 393 A further interesting counter motif which Beethoven also abandoned 11:32 414 Sketches for the cantabile variation of the main theme 12:03 430 Further sketches for the c minor fugato 13:22 475 259 Sketches for the heavenly cantabile passages (a minor and F major) 14:00 498 298 Transition to the recapitulation 15:13 541 Sketches for the Coda
Opus: 125