The Double Reed Archaeologist

Chamber Music and Concertos for Oboists and Bassoonists
Charles-David Lehrer, General Editor

Volume XVI - No. 80

No. 80. Ludwig van Beethoven: Wind Octet [Parthia], Op. 103; and Rondino, WoO 25:
2 Oboes, 2, Clarinets in Bb, 2 Horns in Eb, 2 Bassoons

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The work, commonly known as Ludwig van Beethoven’s ‘Octet for Winds’, was actually entitled ‘Parthia’ by the composer. It was composed in Bonn for the wind players at the Court of the Elector of Cologne, but revised in Vienna during the years 1792-93. In addition, the Rondino for the same combination of winds, composed in Vienna in 1793, is believed to have been intended as the new finale. The oboist for whom Beethoven composed his F Major Oboe Concerto, and who presumably was the 1st oboist in the Bonn premiere of the Parthia, was Georg Libisch. The Parthia was published as Op. 103 in 1830, that is to say, after Beethoven’s death in March of 1827. So, why did the great composer hold back the publication of such a fascinating composition during his lifetime? It so happens that in 1795, Beethoven ‘reworked’ the Parthia into the String Quintet in Eb Major, and published it in the following year as his Op. 4.

First Movement

The initial movement is set in sonata form. There are two contrasting primary themes in the exposition [Themes 1 and 2] separated bya thematically important transition. This section is brought to a close with a series of tonicizing closing themes, most of which are derived from Theme 1. Both primary themes are composed of two discrete fragments which lend themselves to manipulations of many kinds. An engaging development follows in which Beethoven takes full advantage of his fragmented thematic material from Theme 1, while introducing a third principal theme [Theme 3]. All three primary themes and the transition return in the recapitulation, Theme 3 being interlaced with one of the closing themes.

The horns are primarily ‘ripieno’ players in this movement. Exceptions to this approach include the flourish which occurs in Horn II within the recapitulation as part of the closing material attached to Theme 2, and the supportive pedals; especially notable is the pedal point on low C = Eb near the end of the movement.

Second Movement

This somewhat dry slow movement is set in the subdominant and in sonata form, but it lacks a development section. On the other hand, Beethoven provides a flexible recapitulation. The latter is reminiscent of the procedures that Antoine Reicha would later follow in the sonata forms many of his wind quintets, wherein the recapitulation also functions as a development.

The horns play a similar role to that heard in the first movement. Beethoven supplies the cadenza for Oboe I before the recapitulation but leaves the final one for the 1st oboist and 1st bassoonist to improvise together.

Third Movement

The scherzo is simply marked ‘Menuetto’. It is set up in rounded binary form with a binary form trio. A da capo of the first section follows.

Fourth Movement

A sprightly rondo-sonata form brings Beethoven’s Parthia to a solid conclusion. Four statements of the refrain surround the three couplets in this structure; but here the final refrain is partially lacking. The reason for this omission is clear: Beethoven introduces a new theme in the development, and he includes it near the end of the recapitulation in place of the bulk of the refrain. The composer provides two spots for cadenzas: these appear to be for the Oboe I and Clarinet I respectively, and must be improvised by those players.

Beethoven’s masterful attention to articulation, attack [many phrases end with a staccato mark], release, and dynamics seems uncanny in this work; but in his unique style of composition, these concepts are intrinsically bound to the intervals and rhythmic subdivision found in the individual motives.

Rondino

Laid out as a slow movement in rondo format with an extensive coda, the two couplets of the movement are surrounded by three statements of the refrain which, in itself, is treated to well-conceived variation after its first appearance. This work is clearly a showcase for two horns, very unlike the Parthia in which the parts are more-or-less equally distributed. In fact, one decries that the horns do not have more to do in the Parthia. In any case, the Rondino could easily be placed between the scherzo and the finale of the Parthia to function as a second slow movement. One wonders if the title [Rondino = Diminutive Rondo] actually derives from Beethoven, since it is such a substantial movement.

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