w to take a new road, and the Eroica is the first step on that road and so should be considered in that light, with special emphasis on anything different in the work, especially anything that would lead to similar efforts in the future. The addition of the Scherzo is such a step, as critics have noted:
The "Eroica" has vastly deepened and extended the emotional range of the symphony, considerably increased the size of the orchestra, and nearly doubled the length of a symphonic work (Berger 37).
The symphony has a four-part structure. It begins with an "allegro con brio" introductory section initiated by two powerful chords that signal that something is about to happen, something different and arresting. The main theme is then delivered by the cellos, and the melody is simple and intense at the same time. Other themes are introduced, and ultimately the main theme returns in the conclusion. The second section is the "Marche fune
...