7). It is the only symphony out of the nine for which Beethoven chose the key of a. In form, the symphony is not strikingly different from his previous six symphonies but the way in which the power and the beauty of thoughts have been treated gives it a unique "romantic" air. In the Finale, this 'romance' develops into "a vein of boisterous mirth" that had not been seen in any of Beethoven's previous works (Grove, 240).

Symphony No. 8: Composed in F major, it is the shortest of Beethoven's 9 symphonies. It was also the composer's favorite work, and when it did not receive the expected accolades at the time of its first performance, he remarked "It will please them some day." (Quoted by Grove, 279). And indeed, despite its simplicity, the symphony has come to be recognized as a true masterpiece, and it provided a lead for subsequent...
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