Overture: Coriolan , Op.62

In 1807, at about the same time as he wrote an Overture for Heinrich von Collin’s Coriolan, Beethoven applied for the post of composer to the Court Theatre in Vienna, promising to write “every year at least one grand opera” and “a small operetta.” It is quite possible that the composition of the Overture was part of the diplomatic process behind the application: as Court Secretary, Collin had influence in these matters. Anyway, in spite of this great demonstration of his dramatic gifts, Beethoven’s application was turned down - which is probably just as well. Beethoven was inspired by heroism but it is impossible to imagine him writing suitable music for, say, the principal characters of Macbeth, on which he and Collin actually planned to collaborate.

Collin’s Coriolan, on the other hand - the character was based on the same semi-historical Roman figure as Shakespeare’s Coriolanus - was the sort of hero Beethoven could write about. True, he was ruthless and ambitious, as the hammerblows in the introduction to the overture and the urgently impulsive C minor first subject are surely intended to suggest. But, when put to the ultimate test, he proved to be compassionate too. It was no doubt this side of Coriolan which inspired the noble lyricism of Beethoven’s second subject in E flat major.

Much of the overture, however, and particularly the fragmented and restless development section is conflict and is destined to end in tragedy. When, at the start of the coda, the second subject quietly re-enters in C major it is immediately overshadowed by unhappy C minor harmonies - in anticipation of more conflict, more hammerblows, and an inescapably tragic ending.

In 1807, at about the same time as he wrote the Coriolan Overture, Beethoven applied for the post of composer to the Court Theatre in Vienna, promising to write “every year at least one grand opera” and “a small operetta.” It is quite possible that the composition of the Overture was part of the diplomatic process behind the application: why otherwise would he have written an overture to a tragedy by Court Secretary Heinrich von Collin when it was five years old, nearing the end of its natural life, and already associated with music adapted from Mozart’s Idomeneo ?

Anyway, in spite of this great demonstration of his dramatic gifts, Beethoven was turned down by the Court Theatre - which is probably just as well. Beethoven was inspired by heroism but it is impossible to imagine him writing suitable music for, say, the principal characters of Macbeth, on which he and Collin actually planned to collaborate. Collin’s Coriolan, on the other hand - the character was based on the same semi-historical Roman figure as Shakespeare’s Coriolanus - was the sort of hero Beethoven could write about. True, he was ruthless and ambitious, as the hammerblows in the introduction to the overture and the urgently impulsive C minor first subject are surely intended to suggest. But, when put to the ultimate test, he proved to be compassionate too. It was no doubt this side of Coriolan which inspired the noble lyricism of Beethoven’s second subject in E flat major.

Much of the overture, however, and particularly the fragmented and restless development section is conflict and is destined to end in tragedy. When, at the start of the coda, the second subject quietly re-enters in C major it is immediately overshadowed by unhappy C minor harmonies - in anticipation of more conflict, more hammerblows, and an inescapably tragic ending.