Brahms: Symphony No.4

IV: Allegro energico e passionato
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What to Listen For:

This movement is in the old Baroque form of a passacaglia or chaconne.
Basically, that means it's a set of variations on a short, chordal theme.
In this case, the theme is 8-bars long and heard right away.

There are 30 variations, followed by a 59-bar coda. Listen for the way in which Brahms creates a rich variety of musical ideas above and around this simple theme.

Also, listen to how some variations seem to blend together to make larger units. For example:

* 4-6 become an extended waltz
* 8-9 are a matched set
* 12-15 are all twice as slow (like a slow movement within the movement)
* Note that #16 (exactly half-way through the 30 variations) acts like a sort of recap, as the theme is again in the original tempo and quite loud. 17-18 are unified by continuous string tremolos
* 19-20 go together, with 19 adding triplets
* 26-28 flow together as the last bit of calm
*Note that Variation #30 is extended by 4 bars to introduce the big:

CODA - in the coda, there's no longer the constant presence of the theme's structure, though the music still often falls into 8-bar phrases. The coda can be divided into 6 sections of the following measure lengths: 8-12-8-8-12-11
Performers: George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra
THEME

Winds/Brass present the ominous 8-measure theme
(brass are most prominent)
THEME

Winds/Brass present the ominous 8-measure theme
...dramatic timpani (drums) added halfway through theme
1

Timpani/horns lead theme
which is plucked on offbeats by strings

It sounds as if the theme has been stripped bare.
2

Woodwinds introduce more lyrical counterpoint
over plucked strings
3

Lyrical notes become heavy and march-like
(though in triple time!)
3

Lyrical notes become heavy and march-like
(though in triple time!)

horns add unsettling, syncopated off-beats
4

Violins introduce a passionate, Romantic waltz tune
which continues through Variations 5 and 6
4

Violins introduce a passionate, Romantic waltz tune
which continues through Variations 5 and 6

Notice the wide leaps in the violin melody
5

Mood of #4 continues,
with winds adding countermelody
6

Violin waltz of #4 still continues
to finish off this 3-variation grouping
6

Violin waltz of #4 still continues
to finish off this 3-variation grouping

Listen to surging cellos beneath
7

A first climax is reached

with strong dotted rhythms back and forth between strings & winds
8

Intensity continues to build with violins now playing energetic fast notes
8

Intensity continues to build with violins now playing energetic fast notes

...that seem to fade in intensity halfway through with a long descending line in the flutes.
9

A matched set with #8 as the energetic violin part becomes
yet more animated...
9

A matched set with #8 as the energetic violin part becomes
yet more animated...

but again the energy dissipates halfway through.

(This descending idea will come back many times.)
10

Return to longer notes (like the beginning), but now soft
with strings and woodwinds in dialogue
11

Dialogue continues in hesitant back-and-forth of strings/winds
11

Dialogue continues in hesitant back-and-forth of strings/winds

as in 9-10, the variation dissolves with a descending line in winds
12

Long, wandering flute solo (rises, then falls)
very lightly accompanied with hesitant offbeats in horn/strings

(Note that Variations 12-15 are twice as slow as the preceding ones)
13

Slowly, it becomes evident we're now in a major key for the first time

Dialogue begins with oboe answering clarinet, then flute joins in

with commentary from low strings ongoing
14

Still in major, horns and trombones intone a solemn chorale (hymn)

string commentary continues below

(There's an eye-of-the-hurricane peace here.)
14

Still in major, horns and trombones intone a solemn chorale (hymn)

string commentary continues below

...an expressive, descending horn solo leads to next variation
15

Chorale continues with woodwinds added ...
15

Chorale continues with woodwinds added ...

now the flute ends this variation with a hesitant, descending line

(note that we're halfway through the 30 variations)
16

Suddenly, back in minor and twice as fast again,
like the beginning (sort of like a "recap")
16

Suddenly, back in minor and twice as fast again,
like the beginning

Strings add intensity with big descending line.
17

Nervous energy introduced with tremolo (shaking) strings
and sighing woodwinds above
18

Brass join in with more confident theme
while string tremolos continue
19

Heavy-footed dialogue back and forth between
strings and woodwinds
20

Triplet-figures added to increase intensity
20

Triplet-figures added to increase intensity

again, we end with descending material
21

Most dramatic yet, with two sets of wildly rising scales
21

Most dramatic yet, with two sets of wildly rising scales

ends with more surging scales upward...
22

Suddenly, more mysterious, with awkward syncopations above
menacing triplets below
23

Horns reassert the main theme
while menacing triplets continue all around
24

Biggest Climax Yet

Horns stuck on single note
Strings answering with detached triplets

Note dramatic use of silence!
25

Still massive, with wildly tremolo strings
recalling the woodwinds counterpoint from Variation #2
26

A last bit of calm before the final storms,
27

Unexpectedly in the relative major
with elegant, sweeping lines in the strings

...wistful
28

Major key continues with woodwinds carrying the tune
29

Back in minor for good

hesitant, mysterious plucked strings on offbeats
29

Back in minor for good

strings resume bowing, with a foreboding, chromatic line
30

Now more emphatic, with woodwind offbeats

violins and cellos in close canon
30

Now more emphatic, with woodwind offbeats

violins and cellos in close imitation

for the first time a variation is extended more than 8 bars (you can hear the violins stretching out the tune)
CODA (part #1: 8 bars):


Extended coda begins with winds/brass blaring the theme

Pace has quickened, as strings playing wildly beneath
CODA (part #2: 12 bars)


Now the tune seems to be breaking up into 2-bar groups

Note that this is an unusual 12-bar group
CODA (part #3: 8 bars)


Menacing trombones!
CODA (part #4: 8 bars)


Strings take over with passionate melody
CODA (part #5: 8+4 bars)


Listen for angry, cross-accents

CODA (part #5x: 4 bars)


Even stronger, misplaced accents

(Note: this is effectively a 4-bar extension of part 5.)
CODA (part #6: 11 bars)


Big Finish

The violins take a couple of stabs at reaching up,
then reach to top to prepare one last descent
before two cadential chords end the symphony emphatically.