Structures of Beethoven's Scherzos
type: CreativeWork
description: The inclusion of the scherzo movement in multi-move­ment compositions such as symphonies, sonatas, and chamber music can be almost exclusively attributed to one composer: Ludwig van Beethoven. After assimilating the existing scherzo form as it appeared in the music of Joseph Haydn (still labeled minuet except for the String Quartets. Opus 33) . Beethoven set out in his inimitable fashion to explore its possibilities. Beginning by adherence to the classic struc­ture of the minuet, adding only a few of his distinctive effects, he proceeded through experimentation to expand, shape, vary, and define the scherzo form for all composers who followed.
abstract: The inclusion of the scherzo movement in multi-move­ment compositions such as symphonies, sonatas, and chamber music can be almost exclusively attributed to one composer: Ludwig van Beethoven. After assimilating the existing scherzo form as it appeared in the music of Joseph Haydn (still labeled minuet except for the String Quartets. Opus 33) . Beethoven set out in his inimitable fashion to explore its possibilities. Beginning by adherence to the classic struc­ture of the minuet, adding only a few of his distinctive effects, he proceeded through experimentation to expand, shape, vary, and define the scherzo form for all composers who followed.
author: Ruby, Sylvia L.
keywords: Humanities, Arts and Humanities
date published: 1974-01-01T08:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T02:05:59Z
provider: Dominican University of California
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Dominican University of California