Abel - Symphony Op. X No. 4 part 1/3

Symphony Op. X No. IV in C - Carl Friedrich Abel

I. Presto

Paul Dombrecht
Il Fondamento

Abel's Opus VII and X sets are probably his most accomplished and well rounded. Although very consistant in style with his symphonic output, the later sets show some evidence of his failing health due to his alcoholism. However this vigorous and sunny example from 1771 is gladly unaffected. After the four-note premier coup d'archet we're launched into the first theme which is characterised by an alternating lower-auxhiliary note figure. This serves to destabilise the harmony, propelling the music forwards, as do the syncopated inner parts. Suprisingly, the leading note over both tonic and subdominant harmony it doesn't sound so dissonant, thanks to Il Fondamento's deliciously pure and wide diatonic semitones. The brief linking passage which follows contains some non-imitative counterpoint in typical galant style leading to the lyrical second theme. The development follows without break from the tutti, notably developing the 2nd theme to some degree through use of chain suspensions over a moving bass - a favourite device of Abel's. After the recapitulation, effective use of Mannheimian crescendos in the coda bring the work to an exciting conclusion, the final four chords mirror nicely the opening.

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