Symphony No. 3 (Beethoven)
Exposition

The exposition has three thematic groups with varying interpretations of functionality.

The exposition begins with the cellos introducing the first theme. By the fifth bar of the melody (m. 7), a chromatic note (C ♯) is introduced, thus introducing the harmonic tension of the work. The melody is finished by the first violins, with a syncopated series of Gs (which forms a tritone with C ♯ of the cellos and a diminished chord). This resolves to the dominant of the relative minor (G/C minor) before a short cadential codetta in E ♭ major. The first theme is then transferred to wind instruments, then fragmented, moving through other keys with the b motif in canon and interchanged with a hemiola in the dominant, later moving between dominant and tonic. The main theme is finally restated with full orchestra in a and b before modulating to F major and the dominant B ♭ in group 2.

The modulation to the dominant key of B ♭ appears at mm. 42–44, although it is not yet fully stabilized and entrenched. Here follows a group of three or two subjects: a lyrical downward motif (mm. 45–56) in canon between oboe, clarinet, flute, and violin; a short upward scale motif (mm. 57–64) in strings with a variation; and a section beginning with rapid downward patterns in the violins (mm. 65–82).

The third theme of the second group eventually leads to a lyrical theme (m. 83), whose second half of the theme eventually builds to a loud melody (m. 109) that draws upon the earlier downward motif (m. 113). The climactic moment of the exposition arrives when the music is interrupted by six consecutive sforzando hemiola chords (mm. 128–131). Later, and following the concluding chords of the exposition (mm. 144–148), the main theme returns in a brief codetta (m. 148) that transitions into the repeat / development.

The status of these groups is debated as to which is more important in the structure. In the traditional analysis, the three early motifs are transitional subjects to arrive at the "unusually late" lyrical theme. An alternative analysis holds that the second theme begins earlier at m. 45 with the downward motif. In this view, the traditional harmonic progression of the exposition ends at m. 82, with the new lyrical theme at m. 83 beginning an extension. This pattern would be consistent with that found later in the development, in which the climactic moment leads to a new lyrical theme that launches an extended section. Moreover, the downward motif theme (m. 45) is developed significantly in the next section while the lyrical theme (m. 83) does not appear. The early modulation to B ♭ had been present in early drafts of the symphony, as was the indecisive nature of the second group.

Commenters have also observed that the sonata form and orchestration transitions would be fully preserved by cutting the third group (m. 83–143). However, others have observed that form and orchestration would also be fully preserved if the second and third subjects of the second group were cut instead (mm. 57–82), consistent with the traditional analysis.
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