9.5. SYMPHONY NO. 3 IN F MAJOR, OP.

90
h ih i
6
4

Mvt. 1 Allegro con brio: sonata form (F ,

Exposition (70 m.)

9
4

, 224 m.)
Recapitulation (61 m.)

Dev. (49 m.)

Coda (43)
Mvt. 2 Andante; ternary song form (C,
A1

h i
4
4

, 134 m.)

A2

Cd

Mvt. 3 Poco Allegretto: scherzo and trio form (Cm A[,

Reprise

Trio

Scherzo

Mvt. 4 Allegro: sonata form (F m F ,

h i
2
2

3
4

, 163 m.)
Cd

, 309 m.)

Exposition (107 m.)

Recapitulation (74 m.)

h i

Dev. (64 m.)

Coda (63 m.)

Figure 9.5: Brahms, Symphony No. 3 in F Major, Op. 90

group theme and in the transitions. The motto is also quoted in the last movement of this
symphony.
The first group subject M1 is a forceful sweeping melody with M1(aabbc) (2+2+2+2+4
m.) 12-measure structure for violins in octaves. Its a-phrase has some similarity with the
motto; at shorter note values we hear a downward arpeggio with the intervals of minor 6th
and major 3rd on the downbeats. It is a varied diminution inversion of the motto. The first
group theme has a characteristic background of continuous quarter note syncopations, and
the motto in both original form and as diminution. The transition to the second group [A]
presents the motto also in disguised form, as stepwise ascending scale, but with the minor
3rd - major 6th pattern still there.
The second hgroup
lyrical first theme M2.1 is played in the first statement by clarinet
i
9
and bassoon in 4 , in parallel thirds and sixths, over a tonic-dominant pedal point. It has
M2.1(aaab) (1+1+1+1 m.) structure with one-measure cells. The same instrumentation returns prominently in the second movement. A second theme M2.2 with a sequential flavour
[C] leads to the inversion of the theme M2.1 by the strings. The closing group combines the
motto M0 and M1, both in diminution and imitation.
h i
The development [E] starts with the lyrical theme, now in the 64 meter. Theme M2.2
is treated as a two-part canon [F], combining the original and invert form. In [G] there
is a development of the motto M0, over the syncopated quarter notes, and closing with a
stretto imitation of M1. The recapitulation is straightforward. The coda is based on the main
theme M1 and could also be considered a secondary development of the first group themes.
There is some new melodic material: M3 is a two-measure motif for woodwind and horns in
imitation over an ascending 8th note background, derived from the M1b-phrase. The same
approach is used in the three-measure theme M4.
367

CHAPTER 9. JOHANNES BRAHMS

Table 9.16: Brahms, Symphony No. 3, Mvt. 1 Allegro con brio

m
1
3
7
9
11
13
15

Comment

M0
M1/0
.. ..
./ .
.. ..
./ .
.. ..
./ .

F F7
F F m/A[ D[/F B7 /F

Exp 64 ([) motto: WW

Gr 1/Th 1(aa): Vi, P T (f ),

Cm/E[ F ]7 C7 /G

Sr: syncopes, (b)

F/A B7 F/C F7

(b), PB (%)

(B[ G[ G C7 )/B[
<(F/A F/C C7 )
F E /G F/A

(c)

/
M0

17
19
23

M0
M0

25
27
31
33
36

M0

40
42
44
45
46
47
48

M2.1

M2.2
M2.2

I(M2.1)

49
50

M0
M0/1
.
/ ..

53
55
56

D[

B[ B7[5 CA[9
7 /C] Dm G7
F/A C 4 C F A[7
D[ E[m7

M2.1

C]

sync, motto disguised

WW+Tbn, WW+Vi
[B] WW, PB (%)
d

[9
G[ G[5
7 A[ F7 /A B[m E[7
D[/F A[7 D[/F E7
(A G]7 )/A
A F Dm+7 D]7 /D
<(A E7 )/A

(A Bm7 E7 )/A (A E7 )/A

(A E7 A B] Bm E7 )/A
A C] G]7 C]
B/D] F ] B/D]
<(A G]7 )/A A/E D] /F ]
E7[9 A A]7 Bm/D G]7 /D
A/C] D]7 G]7 A
A A]7 Bm/D G]7 /D
A/C] F/C B7 A/C]
F/C B7 E7

Bsn+DB, Str imit

(]]]) trans, P T (a)
h i

Gr 2/Th 1 94 (aaab):
Cl+Bsn (1st stat), P (ae)
(aa): Ob+Va (2nd stat)
(ab)
[C] Ob, WW (cm)
Cl
Vi, Str (cm>)

h i
6
4

closing group, Ob
I(M1): WW dim imit

A F/A B7 /D] E7
A7 D7 G7
G7 G]7 Dm/A G]7

M0: Vi

Str: (cm<)
[D]
tutti dim, cresc to clim

58
59
61

M0

Gm7 /B[ Dm/A G]7

G]7 E7 /G]
Am/C F ]7 /C

63
65
68
70

M0/1
M1

I(M1)

Em/G F ] E46 B7 Am/C

F/C Am/C Dm D] /A
E7 F ] /A E7
Am . . . (C) : ||

368

[A] trans Vi, PB (%)P T (f ),

d

I(M1)
..
.

h i

WW: stretto im, cresc,

I(M1): WW dim
tutti clim, M1+I(M1): Str
closing

9.5. SYMPHONY NO. 3 IN F MAJOR, OP. 90

Table 9.17: Brahms, Symphony No. 3, Mvt. 1 Allegro con brio (contd)
m

71
77

M(1)
M2.1
..
.
..
.
..
.

79
80
81
82
83

88

M2.1
..
.
..
.
..
.
..
.

89

90

M2.2
..
.
..
.

85
86
87

92
94
95
96
98
99
101
103
105
107
109
112
116
118
120
124
128
130
132

M0

M0
..
.

M1

M0
M1/0
.. ..
./ .
.. ..
./ .
/

Comment

C]m

Am D D7 Cm G]7
<(C]m D] D]7 B]7 )/C]

Dev, tutti clim

[E] (a): Bsn+Va+Vc, P T (c])

(C] B] E]7 F ]m

(a), Str: Pm (%) (ped)

(C]7 F ]m F G]7 )/C]

<(C]m G]7 )/C]
G]m7 /B A C]m/E G]
<(C]m D] D]7 B]7 )/C]

(a): Vi1, P T (c])

(C] G]7 E]7 F ]m)/C]

(a), Pm (%) (ped)

(b)

(C]7 F ]m G]7 )/C]

E[

G[
E[

<(C]m B] )/C]

(b)

C]m G]7 /F ] C]m/E

A7 /G D7 /F ] A7 /G
D/F ] B7 /A E/G]
E /G D/F ] B7[5 /F
A E7 A E7 /B[ A C]7

Str cresc

[F] Canon, Seq(32m;R5 ),

D A7 D A7 /E[ D7[9 F ]

M2.2: WW, I(M2.2): Str

G F ]7 G D7 /A[
G D7 G D7 /A[
<(G D7 G D][5
7 /F ])
G D7[5 /A[ F/A F ][9
7 /B[
B D7 /C F ]/C] D7
E[ G7 /D[
C7 F m E[64 B[
E[ E[m/G[ B[m D[7

trans
Str: (cm>)
cad
[G] ([) FHn, Str: sync

6
E[[9
7 A[m/C[ G[4 D[
C7[9 /G F m/A[ E[64 B[7

G[
G[
E[ C[m
A[m7 /E[ F7 /E[
F7 F m7 F7 /E[ C7[5 /G[

Ob+FHn
cad
[H] retrans, WW+Str: imit
P T (f )

F A[7 D[ G[9
7
F F m/A[ D[/F B7 /F

Rec, motto: Fl+Ob

Gr 1/Th 1 (aa): Vi, P T (f ),

Cm/E[ F7 F ]7 C7 /G

Str: sync, (b), PB (%)

F/A B[7 B7 C/C F7

(B[ G[/B[ G C7 )/B[ F/A

(b)
(c)

369

CHAPTER 9. JOHANNES BRAHMS

Table 9.18: Brahms, Symphony No. 3, Mvt. 1 Allegro con brio (contd)
m
136

Comment

F E /G F7 /A A7 B[m

M0

139
140
142

M0
M0

E[m7 A[7
G[/B[ D[
F ]/A] A

144
146
149

D B[+ /D Gm+7 C7 /G
D B[+ C]7 /G
<(D A7 )/D

151
153
154
155
156
157

M2.2
M2.2

I(M2.1)

158

M0

160

M0/1
.. ..
./ .

162
163
166
168
170
172
174
176
177
181
183
185
187
189
192
194
195
197
200

370

M2.1

Str: sync, motto disguised

FHn, Str imit
(]]) trans, Ob+FHn+Vi
d

D
F]
D
F

Dm

9
4

(aa): Cl+Bsn,

F D[/A[ G7 C7

I(M1): WW dim imit

F D[/F G7 /B
C7 A7 /C] D7 Gm
<(E[ Gm/D C]7 Gm/D)
Gm/D A7 /C]
Dm/F B /D

M0;: Vi

([) Vi, Str: (cm>)

h i
6
4

closing group, Ob

stretto cresc
[K] trans, cad
cresc to climax
tutti clim, M1+I(M1): Str

Dm/F Gm G]7 /D
A7 Dm A7 Dm

h i

P (da), (ab): WW
Cl
Ob

Am/C B /D Am/E E7
<(Dm/F B[/F )

M1
..
.

Gr 2/Th 1

D Em7 A7 D A7
F ] C]7 F ]
E/G] B7 E/G]
D/A C]7 D/A
C7[9 F C]7 (Gm E7 )/B[
F/A B7 E7 F
F ]7 Gm/B[ E7 /B[
F D[/A[ G7

M0
M0/1
/
M3
..
.
..
.

M1
..
.

[I] trans Vi, PB (%), P T (f )

Dm G]7 /B
F/C F7 /E[
D7[9 /C (Gm G7 )/C
C D[ D[7 B[7

Coda Bsn+FHn
(a): Vi, P D (c)
(a)
WW+FHn, (b) Str unis.

E[ E C]7 F ] D7 /F ]

i (%)
WW+FHn imit, Str: Pm

G G7 E7 /G] A C]7 /B[

A7 Gm
C7 A7 B[/D Gm

cresc, Str: imit, PBi (%)

C7 A7 B[ D B[m/D[
C7 Am/C D/B[ Gm/B[

stretto climax
climax

9.5. SYMPHONY NO. 3 IN F MAJOR, OP. 90

Table 9.19: Brahms, Symphony No. 3, Mvt. 1 Allegro con brio (contd)

m
201
206
211
214
216
218
220

M4/2.2

M0

M1

Comment

<(E7 /B[ F/A C7 /B[ F/A)

C7 /B[ F/A F7 (B[ G7 F )/F
B7 /D F/C B7
Am/C C7
F
(B7 F )/F
F

[M] WW+Vi, sync

cad
FHn-WW: imit
P T (f )
(a): Vi (224 m.)

An instrumentation aspect is the use of two trumpets three trombones in this symphony:
these are used sparingly around the structural transitions and climaxes or the movements.
In this movement there are trombones in m. 3, 19, 68, 116, 122, 177, 183 and 196. The third
trombone often states the motto theme M0.

9.5.2

Mvt. 2 Andante

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371