A symphony is a long orchestral work that is organized into four movements. The first movement is almost always organized into sonata-allegro form. Sonata-allegro form consists of four main sections: exposition, development, recapitulation, and coda. This is the form that Beethoven's Fifth Symphony; first movement follows. Beethoven got his musical ideas across by using dynamics to create and shape the piece. The tempo of this movement is fast and spirited. The combination of the tempo and the dynamics were the elements that basically shaped the first movement in this symphony. .
Beethoven uses a symphonic orchestra in this piece. Some of the instruments used include: flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, french horns, timpanis, and probably one of the most important sections in this piece; the strings. Beethoven introduces, then reintroduces themes one and two throughout the movement. The strings introduce the first theme with their low plucking, then the horns pick up to lead into theme two. Beethoven mainly uses the horns to introduce new parts of the movement. For example, the horns introduce both the second theme and they are responsible for the introduction into the development of the movement. Beethoven alternates the woodwinds, brass, and strings to create a feeling of tugging between the three orchestral sections. There is also a time when the oboe is used as a countermelody to the "3 short notes and a long note- motive. The closing theme at the end of the movement gives the audience a different feeling than the closing theme in the first part of the movement because it has switched to C major mode. .
The next piece to be discussed is Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique; fourth movement. This particular piece falls into the Romantic Period and is categorized as a program symphony. The fourth movement portrays the story of the character's "March to the Scaffold."" The form that Berlioz uses in this movement is loose ternary.
