Page:Rolland - Beethoven, tr. Hull, 1927.pdf/151

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THE NINE SYMPHONIES
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is further enhanced by one of those majestic marching subjects which only Beethoven could conceive. The beauty of the wood-wind work is remarkable and the coda is full of strange fancies.

The Scherzo has some eloquent bass passages,

{ \clef bass \key ees \major \time 3/4 \partial 4 g,4^\markup{Allegro} \pp c4 (es g c'2 es'4 d'2 fis4 g 2) }


and its rhythmic horn figures are full of veiled mystery and heavy with some dark foreboding. The trio is a fiery Fugato with strange outbursts on the basses. The curious hesitations on its reappearance and the weird bridge passages at the end, with the long sustained chord on the strings and the mysterious drum tapping, cause the movement to veer gradually round to the fiery march- like coda, with its light, graceful, contrasted episodes. The Scherzo theme insinuates itself into the Finale near the coda, which is of amazing brilliancy, ending with a Presto which fairly sweeps the hearer away with it.

The orchestra is the largest the composer has used so far. It includes three trombones, double bassoon, and piccolo, which, however, are only used for the brilliant Finale.

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