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Rating: The German composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was a great lover of rural life and often went to the countryside for more or less short periods of rest. His love for nature appears several times in his music: think of the Piano Sonata No. 15 (nicknamed "Pastorale") or, even better, No. 17 (nicknamed "Tempesta"), in which one almost seems to truly hear the power of nature!
But perhaps the most complete representation of nature that Beethoven gives us is in his favorite genre: the symphony. The VI Symphony is entirely dedicated to the depiction of a pastoral world, very similar to the one described in the "Bucolics" of the Latin poet Virgil.
The I movement ("Allegro non troppo") presents such evocative atmospheres that it truly feels like contemplating a serene rural landscape. In the II movement ("Andante molto mosso"), instead, appears the representation of a brook, the motion of whose waters is illustrated by the string triplets, over which the melody is presented by various instruments in turn. At the end of the movement, even oboes, clarinets, and flutes are masterfully used to imitate the singing of birds.
But the best part comes at the end: 3 movements linked without interruption, which form one of the highest peaks ever reached in the art of the composer from Bonn. The III movement ("Allegro - Tempo d'Allegro - Tempo I - Presto") is dedicated to the depiction of a peasant celebration: the unisons, the apparent rhythmic imperfections, the joyful atmosphere all give the actual impression of being in the midst of a festivity. The last bars, however, seem to present some uneasiness, which then leads into the stormy IV movement ("Allegro"), aptly representing the outbreak of a storm: introduced by the violins in pianissimo, then suddenly the whole orchestra bursts, until our ears almost feel like exploding under the assault of decibels...
The storm, however, subsides in a very short time, calm returns: here is Beethoven's masterpiece: in a few moments he transitions from his stormiest side to his most joyful and bucolic side. The V movement ("Allegretto") is a song of thanksgiving to God from all those who escaped the storm. The atmospheres return to those of the I movement, it feels again like seeing the sunny and peaceful fields. The symphony closes in a climate of peaceful joy and serene contemplation.
As for the discography, it is certainly not lacking in recordings: all the recordings by Karajan, Kubelik, Klemperer, and Mengelberg are stunning, and those by Leinsdorf and, more recently, Abbado are also good. However, I would rule out the otherwise excellent Furtwaengler and Toscanini, the former due to excessively slow tempos, the latter because at times it seems to deviate from the bucolic atmospheres to enter an excessively romantic and stormy climate. However, these are subjective nuances: even the latter two deserve a listen, and they are not just any conductors...
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