Word: strake
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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Koussevitzky's interpretation of the Ninth made clearer and even more awesome the strake simplicity of Beethoven's music. The opening bars of the first movement, just simple open fifths descending in the strings, were built up inexorably to the first statement of the theme by the whole orchestra in unison. It is a simple dominant-tonic progression, the first thing taught in an elementary harmony course. Simple means indeed, but nothing more overpowering has even been written...