an alternative instrumental Finale of Beethoven's 9th symphony

[gprengel]

Im the summer of 1823 Beethoven began concepting the final movement of his 9th symphony and he was struggling whether it should be a choral or an instrumental movement. There are 3 sketches from July and even from autumn with a theme which later in 1825 he would use (in a changed and more elaborated form) for the main theme of the Finale of the a-minor string quartet op. 132 and also for a 2nd theme. In the recent days one question arose in my heart: How might Beethoven have written the alternative instrumental Finale of the 9th? So I began brooding over the sketches and orchestrated the 5th movement of op. 132 and began now to write a symphonic Finale. In this I use certain orchestrated passages from the expostion/recapitulation and the Coda of the quartet movement. But the opening and the development will be completely new. I hope to present to you the outcome in a few weeks ... both a crazy and fascinating task :-).

[Alan Howe]

Sorry, Gerd, but why bother? It's an absolutely pointless task. We don't need an alternative to Beethoven's great finale.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I don't want to dampen your enthusiasm, Gerd, but I do rather agree with Alan. I can't see the point in this exercise. But, if it gives you pleasure, of course, who am I to rain on your parade?

[Alan Howe]

Why not write a symphony of your own, Gerd, instead of using other composers' music?

[FBerwald]

I totally agree with Alan and Gareth. If you want to, go ahead, but what you are attempting is what the diabolical and often spot-on David Hurwitz refers to in his videos as "the best version of the #th Symphony that Bruckner never wrote". I'd rather listen to Gerd's Symphony No. 1 [if it pays homage to Beethoven's 9th, so be it]. I apologize if I come across as too negative. Whatever you decide to do, I will be happy to listen to it.

[ewk]

Contrary to the aforementioned opinions, I think this could be very interesting. Admittedly, it will be very hard or rather impossible to achieve anything as ingenious as Beethoven's own finale, but it could at least enlighten us about the thoughts Beethoven had. And even if it is only to demonstrate why Beethoven eventually chose to go for the chorale finale!

[Alan Howe]

I won't be listening, I'm afraid. I just can't think why I'd want to explore someone else's (inevitably inferior) thoughts on what Beethoven might have written - but didn't. Sorry.

[der79sebas]

"How might Beethoven have written the alternative instrumental Finale of the 9th?" - well, we know the answer: not at all.

[Alan Howe]

The whole idea is senseless.

[gprengel]

Alan, the attitude you show here is really disrespectful- never mind, I won't bother you anymore with my project and will continue working on it just for my own pleasure. I thought this forum is a place where we can share our (even a bit crazy) ideas freely and where we meet each other with respect and an open mind - I miss this in the way you encounter me here ...

[Alan Howe]

I'm sorry you feel this way about UC, but I'm not the only one who thinks this is a pointless project. So, for example, it's one thing to propose a completion of an unfinished work or undertake an orchestration of a chamber piece, but to offer an alternative to the finale of Beethoven's 9th just seems to me to be a waste of time.

But, of course, your use of your own time is your business - and I wish you much joy and satisfaction in what you're planning to do. It's just not for me.

As I said before, why not write your own symphony 'in the style of...'? Now that would be something I'd be really interested in! And I'm sure you have all the skills to do it.

[eschiss1]

Kind of like (well, sort of..) what Easley Blackwood liked to do toward the end of his career, for example.

[gprengel]

In spite of the reluctance some of you expressed here regarding my project, I want to present the result to those who yet are interested in it . So again: I just was wondering what Beethoven may have had in mind when he was considering to write the 9th finale based on sketches he later used for the finale of quartet op. 132 and also based on a sketch for a lovely second theme.  About 50% is based on the op. 132 quartet  and 50% is from me - details see in the description here:

But of course I am more than glad that Beethoven decided to write the Finale the way he did with the Chorus Finale ...

[Alan Howe]

Why don't you write a complete symphony in the style of Beethoven instead of composing a single movement?

[FBerwald]

Oh! this was lots of fun to listen to. I second Alan. Please write an original Symphony "in the style of Beethoven" if you must. What did you use to realize your orchestration?