Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 in F major op. 68, the "Pastoral" | Bernard Ha...

Bernard Haitink and Berlin Philharmonic perform Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 in F major op. 68, the “Pastoral," at the Festspielhaus Baden Baden, 2015. Beethoven composed his 6th Symphony about nature in 1807 and 1808. The Symphony No. 6 in F major, op. 68 has five movements, not four, and along with the usual tempo indications, Beethoven gave them descriptive headings too. The Sixth, known as the “Pastoral," begins with "Awakening of cheerful feelings on arrival in the countryside," to be taken at an "Allegro ma non troppo" speed (fast but not exceedingly so). But there are actually many tempos, moods, feelings and effects in the first movement of Beethoven's Sixth. One thing is missing, though: that forward thrust so typical for Beethoven; the struggle and the passion in striving for a goal. Instead, the main theme is repeated, and in parts of the first movement, time seems to slow down and even stand still. The Symphony No. 6 isn't a graphic musical depiction of nature, though. As Ludwig van Beethoven personally wrote over the first movement: "More an expression of feeling than tone-painting." Use your imagination while listening to the second movement of Beethoven's Sixth, and you can hear ripples on a creek and birds tweeting. To make it clear, Beethoven added a description, "Scene by the Brook," to go with the tempo heading "Andante molto mosso" (as though walking, very moving).