Wellington’s Victory
Brandon LeBlanc
When people think of Beethoven’s finest and most popular works, most would cite the 7th and 9th Symphonies, the Eroica, the Missa Solemnis, or maybe the Tempest Sonata. This means that many other works get buried in his catalogue of music and are lesser known in more casual discourse about Beethoven. Such is the case with Wellington’s Victory or The Battle of Vitoria, a battle symphony written in 1813 as the Napoleonic Wars were coming to a close. On a surface level, the piece has been categorized as a “potboiler,” something Beethoven wrote because he knew it would benefit him financially. When criticized on the work, Beethoven is quoted as saying “what I [crap] is better than anything you could ever think up!” (Rodman). However, this piece contains a lot more when analyzed closely, as it both meticulously mirrors the Battle of Vitoria itself, demonstrates the complex and ever-changing views Beethoven held in regard to Napoleon himself, and incites debate over whether it fits the true hallmarks of Beethoven’s heroic style.
When analyzing Wellington’s Victory, it is important to first understand the related history behind the piece. Beethoven’s middle, or “Heroic” stage is often intertwined with the concurrent political and social history, as he drew inspiration, and occasionally frustration, from the tumultuous events of his day. Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche is quoted as saying “without the French Revolution, Beethoven is unthinkable” (Jones 971). While the events and ideas of the Enlightenment undoubtedly had an impact on his music, one figure in particular that rose from this movement became forever linked with Beethoven’s Heroic Age—Napoleon Bonaparte. In many ways, the two men were quite similar—both being born into relatively humble upbringings, and through dedication, persistence, and undeniable talent, rose to the top of their respective fields. With Napoleon’s support of the Enlightenment seemingly being present in the Napoleonic Code, Beethoven approved of Napoleon’s position and actions early on in his time as First Consul. By the time Beethoven started writing Wellington’s Victory in August of 1813, Napoleon had been waging war for over a decade, and had already been referenced in Beethoven’s work. The Eroica Symphony, which premiered in 1804, was originally dedicated to Napoleon, as Beethoven was aware of Napoleon’s purported belief in the ideas of the Enlightenment, which Beethoven was also in line with. However, this positive view of Napoleon faded quickly and in dramatic fashion when Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of the French. Beethoven was enraged by this, being quoted as saying, “Is he not an ordinary man? Now he will trample over all human rights, serving nought but his own ambitions. He will rise higher and higher to become, as everybody says, a tyrant!” According to Ferdinand Reis, Beethoven rushed over to his desk, snatched the title page of the Symphony, and tore it to shreds (Caeyers 388). While Caeyers acknowledges that this account is somewhat mythical in nature, it is known that Beethoven erased the name so vigorously that the paper ripped. This event soured Beethoven’s view of Napoleon, as he saw it as an abandonment of the Enlightenment on Napoleon’s part. Additionally, Napoleon has also been discussed as the driving force behind the slow, funeral march-esque 2nd movement of Beethoven’s 7th Symphony. By 1813, this negative perception had not changed—if anything, it had become worse, as Napoleon twice invaded Austria. Thus, when the Battle of Vitoria took place in June of 1813, it is not unreasonable to think Beethoven would have taken some amount of pleasure in seeing the French suffer defeat, as well as finding joy in Spain pushing back against the tyrannical rule of Napoleon.
While this evidence certainly supports the idea of Beethoven writing Wellington’s Victory with anti-Napoleon sentiment in mind, it does not answer the question of why it was written about the Battle of Vitoria specifically. In 1813, the downfall of the French Empire had only just begun, and the days of Napoleon scoring massive victories, such as Austerlitz in 1805, were several years past. The last year of conflict was defined by Napoleon’s disastrous invasion of Russia, which ended with a massive French retreat and only 10% of Napoleon’s army returning, many perishing due to starvation and the freezing cold (Gompert 48). It is in this where the Battle of Vitoria makes its claim as important to Beethoven—it was the first battle of the Napoleonic Wars, where the French were unimpeded by any outside factors such as weather or poor supply lines. Because of this, the Battle of Vitoria was a celebrated occurrence throughout Europe, and Austria was no exception. The general sentiment regarding the battle was that it was “symbolic of a definitive turning point in the war and of Europe’s imminent liberation from twenty-five years of Parisian tyranny” (Caeyers 584). For the first time in the Napoleonic Wars, the Allied forces had stood their ground and repelled the French.
Beethoven’s personal views on the Enlightenment and Napoleon were undoubtedly important in drawing inspiration for the piece, but they were not the only deciding factor. Beethoven did not write the piece simply because he wanted to demonstrate his anti-Napoleonic sentiments. He was also keenly aware of what the public’s reaction to the Battle of Vitoria meant for him—financial gain. This idea is supported by the events occurring after the release of Wellington’s Victory, as the piece became popular throughout Europe and proved to be a substantial source of income for Beethoven, who scheduled several repeat performances at the original venue, the Hofburg. He then sent the piece to then Prince-Regent and later King George IV, asking if he would personally condescend to the work’s dedication. While he never personally replied, he did give it to the director of the Theater Royale and would later hear “on the grapevine” how “enraptured the English had become with his war tribute.” This would be enhanced in 1815, when the Duke of Wellington became enshrined in history by sealing Napoleon’s fate at Waterloo (Caeyers 589). This financial aspect combines with the aforementioned personal and philosophical motivations to paint a more complete picture for why Beethoven chose to compose about the Battle of Vitoria.
Just as the background on why Beethoven wrote Wellington’s Victory, it is also important to analyze the battle itself, as it lends to a more complete and depthful understanding of the piece. On June 21st, 1813, French forces led by Joseph Bonaparte (older brother of Napoleon) met the British forces near the Zamora River. The French army was “destined to defend the passages of the river Zadora, in the neighborhood of that city” (Grehan 132). According to Wellington himself in letters written about the battle, the allied army gained a “complete victory” (Grehan 132) and drove them from their positions while also claiming hundreds of cannons, barrels of ammunition, rations, and prisoners. During the battle, the French made repeated attempts to regroup themselves, with “the greatest of efforts” but failed each time as the British pressed forwards and intercepted their routes of escape. Wellington wrote that he “had reason to believe that the enemy carried off with them one gun and one howitzer only,” as they were forced to scramble and leave much of their equipment behind. In this letter, the Marquess (later the Duke) of Wellington lays out the story of the battle: a resounding victory for the Allied forces that saw the French outmaneuvered at every turn. This narrative is reinforced by Caeyers, who notes that the “the allies had fought an honest fight and emerged victorious all on their own” but also concedes that their defeat was exacerbated by the inept leadership of Joseph Bonaparte (Caeyers 581).
The historical background and reasoning behind Wellington’s Victory being established allows for a more detailed and technical analysis of the actual music, as piece has been described as “an astonishingly realistic evocation of the sounds of battle” and the 1814 Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung review stated that “the effect, even the illusion, is quite extraordinary” (Cook 16). The piece starts just as any battle would, as the only instrument present for the first 30 seconds is snare drums, being played in a march, which are then followed by horns to announce their presence. More instruments are brought in for the introduction of the first theme, to represent the French: an interpolation of “Marlbrough s’en va-t-en Guerre,” which translated means “Marlbrough has left for War.” Just as this theme is introduced, it is then interrupted by the snares, in the same pattern as before, as well as the stand-alone horns to introduce the British and their first theme, which resembles the patriotic “Rule Britannia.” This theme continues to build until it is interrupted by brass instruments at 2:54, played in a pattern reminiscent of Reville, which marks the beginning of the battle, and one of the more unique elements of the Symphony: a tense and dissonant section, underscored by musket fire. This undoubtedly contributed to the novelty of the work, and the musket fire continues throughout the duration of the “war” section of the piece, which would enhance the experience and realism for listeners. The musket fire in Wellington’s Victory had drawn comparisons to the canons in Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture (Cook 3).
With the musical battle officially underway, Beethoven continues to build tension and escalate the energy of the piece, using an ascending pattern of notes and increasing the tempo, accompanied by the trilling of snares and thunderous musket-fire. It is also worth noting that when the French theme is introduced, it is in the key of C Major, while the English are in E-flat major (Cook, 17). Having both themes introduced in a major key could be interpreted to represent the optimism present in the beginning moments of a battle, as both sides attempt to assure themselves that they, not the enemy, are destined to prevail. As the Battle section (Schlact) continues on, the British theme grows stronger, with increases in volume and range, while the French theme becomes more dissonant and dejected. When the French theme is last heard, it is musically the complete opposite to its presentation in the beginning—it is now in the key of F-sharp instead of C, and minor instead of major. Additionally, throughout the Battle section, Beethoven seldom plays both themes at the same time. Only at minute 146 do they play simultaneously, and for the majority of the battle, Beethoven attempts to realistically mirror the back-and-forth nature of the battle, with volleys of musket fire punctuating the dialogue between the French and English themes. When the Schlacht ends, the French theme being in F-sharp minor clearly conveys that the French are on the downward trend, but it does not definitively declare a winner, adding to the suspense (Cook 17).
When the Sturmmarsch, or Victory Symphony begins, Beethoven announces the British as the victor by introducing a new theme: “God Save the King,” which starts quiet and calm in the horns but goes back and forth between calm stretches and bright flourishes, where more instrumentation is introduced with strings and percussion. Up to 12 minutes in, this theme stays mostly calm, until subdivided notes appear in the strings and increase the volume and excitement, building to a triumphant ending, complete with blaring horns and thunderous percussion. Here, Beethoven puts a stamp on the piece as Wellington and the British claim victory.
Some of these stylistic elements, such as the marching percussion and horns at the beginning, serve a fairly simple purpose and help Wellington’s Victory identify itself as a battle symphony. However, many of the musical choices made have a deeper meaning, both in terms of uniquely depicting the battle and demonstrating Beethoven’s personal views. First, when looking at the choices for themes to represent the two sides, there is a clear question that arises: why were the French represented by “Marlborough s’en va-t-en Guerre” and not by “La Marseilles,” their national anthem? This question has two answers: one practical; and the other, more personal. Due to the French’s repeated invasions of Austria, playing “La Marseilles” in any capacity was considered treason, and therefore Beethoven would be forced to find another option to represent the French. “Marlborough s’en va-t-en Guerre” is a French song that had a relevant history, both involving the French and Napoleon. The French Army had used it “to mock a former painful retreat by the English under the command of the Duke of Marlborough” (Caeyers 585), so Beethoven using this theme to illustrate a decisive French defeat would be a sharp and biting piece of irony in the music. By using this as the French theme, Beethoven “suggests a portrayal of the French as arrogant, haughty, and vainglorious” (Caeyers 585). Additionally, Napoleon was known to hum the tune as a personal anthem during times of crisis, so by using it to represent the French in Wellington’s Victory, Beethoven could provide a subtle but clear jab at both the French Army and their infamous leader, both of which were not well-liked by his audience in Vienna. Along with this symbolic value, Beethoven manipulates this theme to tell the story of the battle. When the French theme is first introduced in C major, it is already two notes down from the English in E-flat major, and as mentioned earlier, it is presented in F-Sharp minor in its last appearance in the piece, and “suffers gradual fragmentation and disintegration” before fading out (Caeyers 585). This manipulation of the theme is quite reminiscent of the actual events of the Battle of Vitoria: the soft and minor variation of the theme paints a picture of the French, thoroughly defeated in a fair fight, being left with no choice but to flee and leave much of their gear behind to be captured by the enemy. Additionally, the use of “God Save the King” during the Victory Symphony leaves no doubt on where Beethoven’s favor lies, giving the British a grand exit as the Symphony winds down.
Despite all of these elements sounding heroic in nature, and Wellington’s Victory being written during Beethoven’s Heroic period, there is some debate over whether the piece is legitimately a work in the Heroic style or if it is a mere imitation. Carl Dalhaus is quoted as saying that “Wellington’s Victory is only a petrifact, a parody of the heroic style established in the Eroica” (Matthew 23). This is due to it being seen by some scholars, such as Dalhaus and Maynard Solomon, as being too clunky and overt in its musical quotations and battle replications. Terms such as “mock-heroic,” “parody,” and “farce” have been used to describe the piece. However, despite this criticism, “few have maintained that Wellington’s Sieg and the true heroic style actually sound very different” (Matthew 23). William Kinderman acknowledges this similarity, noting that “some of the same rhetorical figures appear [in Wellington’s Sieg] as in Beethoven’s important compositions” (Matthew 23). It appears that, despite many deeming the piece as not truly Heroic, it is hard to deny that is possesses the characteristics of Beethoven’s other famous works from the same time period. The so-called “mockery” present is not present due to Beethoven intending to parody his own style, nor is it an inferior work compositionally—some of the clunkiness stems from the hallmarks of battle symphonies, and the blatant musical quotations, while not subtle, do exactly what they are supposed to do: represent each side in depicting the scenes of battle.
Wellington’s Victory is a work often overshadowed by other pieces in Beethoven’s catalogue, as it lacks the timeless appeal of less targeted works like the 7th and 9th Symphonies, or even the Eroica, which despite its ties to Napoleon, can also be understood as a universal tale of the hero’s journey. However, while this may be true, it does not mean that Wellington’s Victory should be forgotten. Through its meticulous structure and quotations, it does what every good Battle Symphony should—depict the conflict musically while building tension until victory is reached. While a lesser artist may reach this level, and go no further, Beethoven’s entry in the genre is a cut above the rest, just as he revolutionized the Symphony and brought the Sonata form to new heights. Within Wellington’s Victory, and in the history surrounding its creation, there are historical insights and important information about the Battle of Vitoria, as well as the public opinion surrounding it. And perhaps most importantly, as said by Beethoven in the 1994 film Immortal Beloved, this piece possesses the most important quality of music: “to carry one directly into the mental state of the composer. The listener has no choice” (Immortal Beloved). For when it is thoroughly analyzed, Beethoven’s views on Napoleon, the Enlightenment, the Battle of Vitoria, and his own financial motivations can be found. It is for these reasons that Wellington’s Victory should hold an important place in Beethoven’s collection of music. A modern-day analogy would be comparing Wellington’s Victory to a big-budget action film, and works like the 7th Symphony to a 3-hour drama with an ambiguous ending and symbolism-laced story. Sure, the latter is more likely to win awards, and be revered long after release, but the former possesses a visceral sense of action and thrills, is loud and exciting, and undoubtedly makes for an entertaining and intense viewing experience. Just like audiences applauded at the end of Avengers: Endgame, the audience at the premiere of Wellington’s Victory “sprang to its feet and let forth a salvo of its own—the orchestral musicians were applauded, Beethoven adulated, and all returned home feeling deeply satisfied” (Caeyers 586).
Works Cited
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