Peter Goldstein <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>On Beethoven's repeats, I'd like to put in a vote against the one and only
>repeat in all of the classical period which I think demonstrably weakens
>the work: the finale of Beethoven's 5th.  When the main theme bursts out
>of the long darkness and crescendo, it's bright, grand, and triumphant;
>when it shows up a second time, it kills all the momentum built up by the
>end of the exposition.  I'm strongly in favor of doing all exposition
>repeats, but I wish Beethoven had made a different choice there.

The second time it appear, the impact is no doubt less dramatic compare
to when it first "burst out of the long darkness and crescendo" and raise
goose pimples in even seasoned listeners, but it will really be a pity if
we got to hear it only once, as it is such a major highlight of the 4th
movement, (and perhaps the whole symphony).  Moreover, the repeat leads the
movement to the dramatic and triumphant burst of the ending theme, which
may not have the same effect, if Beethoven has left it out.  I put a vote
on keeping this repeat.:)

Danny Tan
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