Beethoven went absolutely wild here

Beethoven's 2nd symphony is an exuberant work that plays with stark contrasts and rather whimsical themes. Just the opening theme seems to be a contrast in itself, a long note followed by a nervous short turn motif and then finally bounces downwards cheekily in crotchets. Beethoven then proceeds to break down the theme into its components and develop each motif separately with masterful craftsmanship and flexibility. Interestingly enough, Beethoven doesn't shy away from introducing new themes either (00:36), out of the blue in a rather Mozartean style, to further create contrast in the discourse. What results is a flurry of ideas that seem to compete with each other, constantly generating a self-propelled momentum that keeps the listener on the edge of their seat.

Recording(Baremboim):    • Beethoven - Symphony No. 2 (Proms 2012)