ABSTRACT
This chapter examines Beethoven's search for the opening themes in two symphonic movements: the first movement of his Eighth Symphony, and the fourth movement of his Second Symphony. The majority of Beethoven's sketches for the first movement of his Eighth Symphony are in the Petter Sketchbook between leaves 35r and 51v. Beethoven could repeat the exposition's version, perhaps with a few embellishments, as soon as the music reaches the development section's concluding dominant. The exposition's version, which seemed so obvious a choice to begin the recapitulation, is repositioned. The fourth movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 2 is in sonata-rondo form. Beethoven's sketches of this movement's opening theme are at least as varied as those of the Eighth Symphony's first movement. The movement's late inclusion of material from Sketch 4 is a fascinating conclusion to this motive's journey. The music from couplet one to refrain two is the first time Beethoven flaunts aspects of the dominant-harmony motive in adjacent sections.
