ESSAY

The objective of this essay is to analyses the correlations in the thematic process
of second symphony of Johannes Brahms1 having as the major model thematic elements
of the first movement. Grove Music Online defines theme as: “The musical material on
which part or all of a work is based, usually having a recognizable melody and
sometimes perceivable as a complete musical expression in itself, independent of the
work to which it belongs.2.” Therefore, this essay will discuss the processes in which the
themes of this symphony are developed.
I will consider its form in terms of the thematic structure. Example 1a contains
the division of the opening phrase of the symphony and its motivic cells. In example 1b,
there was a clarification of the second motive cell. The reason for this addition will
become apparent in the other thematic examples.

Example 1a- Brahms’ Second Symphony, Allegro non troppo, measures 1-5.
IIa

II I(inv.)

Example 1b. Schenkerian analysis of the motive cell II

II-a II-b

1
Hamburg, May 7, 1833; d Vienna, April 3, 1897. German composer and pianist. Retrieved from:
Bozarth, G., & Frisch, W.  (2001). Brahms, Johannes. Grove Music Online.  27 Sep. 2020, from
https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-
9781561592630-e-0000051879.

2
Drabkin, W.  (2001). Theme. Grove Music Online. Retrieved 29 Sep. 2020, from
https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-
9781561592630-e-0000027789.
 Example 2. Brahms’ second symphony, measures 6-9

I-b II- -b III

There are two additional items in Example 2, the first is the development of cell
I described in example 1 in cell I-b. In this example, the cell II-b is audibly recognizable
and its new shape is the result of the inversion of the final interval from a fourth going
up to a descendent fifth. Since cell I comes before cell II, then we can accept the
equivalence of cells I and I-b. Thus, it seems that there is more cohesion between cells I
and I-b than expected.
I rebuilt Elder’s3 example in Example 3 below to show all of these connections.
Note the inclusion of cell III. Although in most cases, cell III is represented by a single
note, according to Elder, it appears to be an important element in the form of the theme.
I
II – comp. I-a II-a I-b II-comp- a III

A B

I III I III I

In the example above, the beginning of the first movement is shown in two
sentences. Brahms included cell I in measure 5 as a link to phrase B. It seems that such
“link” boosts us to recognize cell Ib as related to initial inversion of cell I in measure 4,
that is, cell Ia. The only change needed to make I-a equivalent to I-b is to invert the
second interval. What is perceived is a complexity of the motives presented in example
1.
Examples 4a and 4b show the relationship between the themes of the first
movement of Brahms' second symphony. The goal of this examples is to demonstrate its
similarity that the "intermediary theme" in measure 44 has with the first measures of the

3
Elder, Eric, 2016: 'Reading Rudolph Reti: Toward a New Understanding of The Thematic Process in
Music' (MFA thesis, Brandeis University), p. 36.
 symphony. Example 4b shows the initial theme of the symphony and its
connection to the transition theme.
Example 5a: Symphony No. 2, measures 44-51

I II
Example 5b: second symphony, comparison between the initial theme and the
intermediate theme

Initial theme

Intermediary theme

II

I II III

The purpose of this analysis so far is to scrutinize how the motivic cells are
being used in the construction of the two main themes of the first movement. If we
make a more rigorous analyses of this movement, we will realize how - apparently -
I III the initial motives presented in the examples.
distant the thematic elements are from