Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 Narrative

ASSIGNMENT: To see this symphony as a “soundtrack” to a movie. Submit a narrative (minimum of 300 words, although don’t be afraid to go longer) describing an original story that you hear being told within your chosen movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. Your narrative must cover the ENTIRE movement. Create your story based on images you “see” as you listen to the music. Use an event drawn from your own life or create a new story drawn from your imagination. IMPORTANT: Be sure to tell me which of the four movements you are using for your narrative! Otherwise, it will be impossible for me to tell where your story lines up with the music. As you write your narrative, embed into the text a description of the musical elements that contribute to your story. For example, often the recurrence of the four-note motif represents a person or emotion. The sudden dynamic changes, changing instrumental colors, and driving rhythms may represent a type of action or event, while the slower, more legato sections may represent a more peaceful break in your narrative. The change from c minor to C Major in the final movement usually has a strong effect as well. As you go along, give me a detailed description of the musical elements that are inspiring your story — instruments, legato/staccato/accent, tonality, pitch range and register… Do not ONLY write a story – your grade will reflect how well you use specific examples of musical elements and concepts, heard in the symphony, in your narrative. I will give you little or no credit if your narrative does not refer to the musical elements in the symphony, or if you don’t tell me which movement you are using for this assignment.