He enlarged them, developed the Scherzo from the
Minuet and made them of more importance in every way. With Haydn the
Minuet was gay and lively, a style of music well adapted to Haydn's
particular temperament and character; but Beethoven in the Scherzo
carried the idea further than anything of which Haydn had dreamed.
Before Beethoven's First Symphony appeared, he had composed a dozen or
more sonatas and was in a position to profit by the experience gained
thereby. He felt his way in these, the innovations all turning out to be
improvements.
One has only to compare the sonatas of Mozart and Haydn with those of
Beethoven to be at once impressed with the enormous importance of the
latter. As has been stated, the experience gained with the sonata was
utilized in the First Symphony, each succeeding one showing growth.
Beethoven's artistic instinct was correct, but he did not trust to this
alone. He proceeded carefully, weighing the matter well, and his
judgment was usually right. There is evidence from his exercise books
that he had this Symphony in mind as early as 1795.
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