Max's Adventure

        Max is a twelve year old boy, who loves to explore nature. His vibrant youth lets him explore with much joy next to his town. Living on the countryside in a large and warm-welcoming community, Max loves to interact with his family and fellow acquaintances. Beethoven’s program notes describes the first movement as an “awakening of cheerful feelings upon arrival in the country”, displayed in Max’s morning routine after he wakes up. The movement describes his morning routine from the soft awakening of the strings to the lively walking beat of the woodwinds.

        The first movement starts out with soft staccato notes from the strings (0:00) transitioning into the lively melody of the woodwinds (0:30). This depicts Max waking up to a bright day and getting ready for an adventurous day as he takes his first step out the front door. Walking down a dirt path on the outskirts of town he notices something subtle, yet alarming in the bushes as the soft strings contrasted off the horns of the brass (0:57). Max was slightly afraid, but his fearless instinct kicked in and he decided to approach the bushes. Slowly approaching the bush, every sound in the orchestra, from the flute melody to the bass line of the strings had a beautiful crescendo (1:30). The sudden pause in the symphony encouraged a gorgeous fox to leap out in front of Max (1:40). Disbelief and shock were among both expressions which were sung by the frantic triplets from the strings because they have never seen anything like each other before. Although they had a frightening start, Max approached the fox looking at its’ fur with curiosity and awe. Soft petting as acquaintances turned into a subtle relationship. Not much time after, they were skipping together through the forest like best friends. Intense strings played a disjunct melody for their cheerful movements and had a decrescendo when they approached a swishing sound (7:30).

        Beethoven’s program notes for movement two is the “scene by the brook” corresponding to Max and the fox’s discovery of a majestic river. The soft melodic strings play the rhythm of their walk as they approach the river (0:20). As they look into the fresh water, the fish whiz side to side to the six note consonant phrase (0:35). Leaves gently touch the surface of the water and elegantly float along the river through the soft and melodic clarinet (6:10). A familiar melody in the movement is played once again, but as an imitation with different instrumentation. The flute chirps like the birds that nest in their homes high above the river (7:50). A whole community of different species of animals inhabit along the riverside: deer, rabbits, hedgehogs etc. The gathering of the many different families of animals were interpreted by the different families of instruments that all came to play a unified harmony (8:10). The fox acted as if he were guiding Max to all these new parts of the forest and introducing him to the other animals. Max is in awe looking at the beautiful animals interacting with nature and the scenic view of the river. Faintly, Max started to see some uneasiness among the animals every time the strings played a low register three note melody (8:30). Something was coming.