Symphony No. 5 in C minor — opening motif

L. v. BeethovenOp. 67

Key

Cm

Time

2/4

Tempo

♩=108

AO focus

AO3

Form

Sonata-allegro. Iconic four-note 'fate' motif (short-short-short-LONG) saturates the entire movement. Two statements at the outset establish C minor; the same rhythmic cell drives the development.

Teaching points

• Rhythmic motif as structural glue — track the 'short-short-short-long' through the movement
• Two opening statements: G G G E♭ (i) then F F F D (V/iv → iv)
• Fermata on the long note both times — conductor's interpretive moment
• AO3 entry point: how does Beethoven build a 7-minute movement from four notes?