use of the words “discord” and “dissonance.” A discord is an
unrelated noise, as when one bangs with both fists on the key-
board. A dissonance is a logical introduction of intervals or
chords made up of jarring factors for their stimulating effect
upon the imagination.]
[Footnote 148: Two of the greatest innovators in this direction,
Scryabin and Stravinsky, have been working in our own day, and
there is no doubt that by their daring experiments they have en-
larged the expressive powers of music. While it is obvious that
the dramatic effect of to-day stimulates the experimentation of
tomorrow, contrariwise, the immediate contribution of each in-
novator is to render more clear the work of his predecessor, up
to that moment the confessed iconoclast.]
The third movement, Minuetto, may be taken as a reply to
Haydn’s well-known wish “Oh! that some one would write us a
new Minuet.” Well, here it is—with all the grace and charm of
the 18th century type and yet with more import, especially in
the Coda with its haunting retrospect. The rhythmic formation
of the opening sentence would be clearer if two measures had
been thrown intoone, for the swing is clearly that of a 6/4
measure. The Trio, with its Scarlatti-like crossing of the hands,
is a playful bit of badinage, affording a delightful contrast to the
Minuetto. Such genuine variety in mood makes the Three-part
Form of lasting worth.
The Finale, Allegro, with its capricious fortissimo outbursts and
unexpected sforzandos is a characteristic example of Beethoven’s
freedom of utterance. Any cast-iron conception of form was en-
tirely foreign to his nature; instead, he made form the servant
of the freest flights of fancy. The movement begins as if it were
to be worked out in the so-called Rondo Sonata-form—a hy-
brid, tripartite structure related to the Sonata-form in that it
hastwothemes in the first and last portions, and to the Rondo
in that the middle portion is a free Episode instead of the cus-
tomary development of former material. The salient feature
by which this form may always be recognized is that the Ex-
position closes with adefinite returnto the first theme—thus
emphasizing the Rondo aspect—instead of with an expanded
cadence based upon the second theme. As we have stated be-
fore (see Chapter IX), many of Beethoven’s Finales are in this
mixed form, clear examples of which may be found in the last
movements of the Fourth, Eighth and Twelfth Sonatas. The Fi-