(c)

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(d)

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FIGURE LXI.

Now, however, with the return of the theme, we at last get a good ear-filling fortissimo, the whole orchestra taking part in a vigorous game of musical tag (the theme made into a canon—(c) in Figure LXI). A fine climax is reached in a passage of bold leaping melody in the strings, in which the accents are dramatically placed on the second instead of the first beats of the measures, followed and completed by staccato chords on the wood-wind instruments ((d) in Figure LXI). This is enormously vigorous, and makes a fitting culmination for this first part of the movement, besides giving an opportunity for still greater effect later, as we shall see in a moment. After it, a cadence is soon reached, though not before the strings and wood-wind instruments have had a brief whimsical dialogue on the subject of the staccato chords.

So far all is bantering merriment, iridescent color, and energetic high spirits. But in the trio, one of the most wonderful of all Beethoven's strokes of genius, the mood changes, and while the quick three-four measure is still felt underneath, the long notes, and the deep mellow tones of the horns, give an almost tragic quality to the music. The theme, given out by three horns alone, with a brief cadence by the strings, does not reach its full stature until its recurrence near the end of the trio. In its second phrase the lowest horn reaches, and holds for two measures, a D-flat which is of almost unearthly solemnity of effect. This passage repays careful study, so wonderfully does it use the simplest means to gain the highest beauty. Sir George Grove well says of it: "If ever horns talked like flesh and blood, they do it here."

The scherzo, on its return, goes on much as at first. Yet Beethoven still has one last shot in reserve, as we suggested a moment back. When he comes to that splendidly proud passage of descending leaps in the strings (Figure LXI, d.), instead of repeating it, as he did at first, in the same rhythm, he suddenly transforms it into even half notes, which crash downwards like an avalanche, quite irresistible. (See Figure LXII.) The effect is again indescribable in words; its gigantesque vigor is of a kind to be found nowhere but in Beethoven, and in him only in his inspired moments.