Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony:A Critical Assessment of Primary Sources

Abstract

This article explores the profound insights the manuscript of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony gives us on the essence of a work of music. By looking at the contrast between the original score and the published version of the work, this paper shows that the process of composition is not straightforward and simple, there is the continuous process of revision and exploration. The manuscript also challenges the concept of authority of text and gives performers other options to consider. These results indicate that people should consider music pieces as a process of developing instead of fixed texts.