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Symphony No.7, 3rd movement: Presto Duration of performance: c. 8 minutes

Form scheme 3rd movement

The whirling buoyancy of the Scherzo leads into a sphere of sparkling life.

bars 1-24

The main theme of the Scherzo, presented at great speed, bounces up the F-major chord in the stressed part of a bar. The whirling theme leads into a sphere of joy and buoyancy. Rising boldly, it ends in a descending staccato. The harmony change is particularly striking. The musical process wavers between F major and A minor. Similar to a transformatory development, the main theme is partially carried on, e.g. through the 1st bar of the main theme or through the 11th and the 12th bar. The main Scherzo theme as a whole now appears in B-flat major. It recurs again in F major - even in fortissimo it sounds gracious and light. Ideas that branch off from the main theme (like in the 11th, 12th, 17th or 20th bars) are ‘extracted’ and used independently like in a continuation of the theme. The 1st bar of the theme (with its upbeat) closes part A.

bars 149-180

The trio provides plenty of contrast: to counter the lively rhythms of the 1st part bassoons and horns introduce a quiet theme, derived from a Lower Austrian pilgrims’ song. Strings and woodwinds play the dominant-A in 6 octaves, which runs through the whole trio as a kind of sostenuto. From the trio theme, which can be heard twice, the 1st and 2nd bars are branched off as a new continuing melodic element. The note A is sustained throughout in the upper voices.

bars 635-647

In the Coda we can hear again 4 bars of the trio theme. Five orchestra beats in tutti conclude the movement.

Turn over to 4th movement

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