An interesting likeness

[Vilen]

By study of one German music handbook (Meyers) I found interesting
likeness of second and third measures in second movement (scherzo) of
Beethoven s 9 symphony and first measure (with anacrusis) of
Tchaikovsky s 1. piano concert.
In both cases there is a big leap from note D4 to F5 which is preceded
and followed sequences of decreased pitches. Apparently this
resemblance is imperceptible by ear as the works' parts have radical
different destination: a relaxation and magnificent introduction
in the work(As is wrote on one site " once heard- never forgot").
Beethoven realized this leap and the sequences by very short notes(as
one poet wrote: by fingers light as dream ).
Beethoven's scherzo is wrote in D-minor. Nominally the concert is
wrote in the key of Bb minor, which has flat notes Bb;Eb;Ab;Db;Gb. For
analysis is easier to lift only 2 rest notes C,F to C#,F# what
corresponds D major or B minor ( note: the scherzo is in D minor) .
Further I try to understand the causes of powerful effect of
Tchaikovsky's initial passage.
The same notes in the sequences before and after the leap has
essential durations, which permit to fix in mind notes before the leap
and recognize them after the leap. The long note D before the leap
fixes its initial pitch. The leap note F#5 is the longest and it gives
power to the leap. Notes D and F# correspond tonic and third in D-
major. Because of it if F#5 has support note F#4 then the third
overtone of last one would have pitch C#5. So the fourth overtone D6of
D4 would play role of leading note to F#5. Of course it is weaker as
by leading note when all its overtones are shifted on one semitone.
Nevertheless it may be essential.

Yuri Vilenkin

[Hans Aberg]

Vilen wrote:
> By study of one German music handbook (Meyers) I found interesting
> likeness of second and third measures in second movement (scherzo) of
> Beethoven s 9 symphony and first measure (with anacrusis) of
> Tchaikovsky s 1. piano concert.

Reshaping of themes was done. I think it was Rachmaninov in "Rhapsody on
a Theme by Paganini" that changed scale minor/major, inverted and
changed tempo of the original theme.

Hans