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Oct 12, 2017 · “An orchestra of 120 players takes 40 minutes to play Beethoven’s 9th symphony,” the question goes. “How long would it take for 60 players to play the symphony?” At first glance, this seems to...
- Haydn—Beethoven’s mentor—thought the younger composer had a bit of an attitude, notoriously referring to his student as “the grand mogul” or “big shot.”
- The Haydn–Mozart–Beethoven connection climaxes in the Symphony No. 2. While the early masters codified the four-movement Classical symphony, Beethoven expanded their visions in this work.
- “Eroica” Beethoven admired Napoleon and dedicated his Symphony No. 3 to the French general. However, he furiously withdrew his dedication when Napoleon declared himself emperor, violently scratching Napoleon’s name from the dedication page with such vigor that he tore through the paper.
- Explore the nine symphonies and you’ll hear that the odd-numbered works are tempestuous while the even-numbered ones are more sedate. Consider Symphony No. 4.
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- Symphony No. 1 in C Major
- Symphony No. 2 in D Major
- Symphony No. 3 in E Flat Major, 'Eroica'
- Symphony No. 4 in B Flat Major
- Symphony No. 5 in C Minor
- Symphony No. 6 in F Major, 'Pastoral'
- Symphony No. 7 in A Major
- Symphony No. 8 in F Major
- Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, 'Choral'
Now, don't panic, but if you're looking for Beethoven the revolutionary musical visionary, you might not find him here. He was only about 25 when he finished this work, so it's understandable that he might not have completely found his voice yet. However, aside from hints of Mozart and Haydn (he even nicks one of Haydn's themes in the finale), you ...
Things are starting to progress. By this point, the Beethoven tics are starting to fall into place. So, that means we get an exceptionally bold and dramatic opening, lightning-quick strings and, in the second movement, some seriously mournful moments. It would be totally wrong to call Beethoven depressing, but his slow movements do tend to lay bare...
This is where it starts to get interesting. And by 'get interesting', we mean 'the rulebook gets incinerated in a political and revolutionary rage by a deaf genius'. The third symphony is the one that, everyone generally agrees, changed everything and kick-started the Romantic period in music. Just listen to the crash-crash of the opening - he's no...
The trouble with writing something as bold as the 'Eroica' is that whatever comes next is bound to be a disappointment. From the off, where the third symphony was declamatory and brash, the fourth is subdued and moody. But that doesn't mean there isn't plenty to enjoy. In fact, the fourth has some of Beethoven's most poignant writing in it. Give th...
We've made it to the biggie, and one of the only works in history that has become defined by its first eight notes. In fact, those eight notes and the way they're played has become a musical hot potato - no-one seems to agree on how quickly to play them - but once you're past them, it's triumphantly full-blooded stuff. You'll know the first movemen...
If there was any doubt as to whether Beethoven was a romantic composer at heart, then the Pastoral symphony squashed it. What's more, he took all his inspiration for the sixth directly from nature. He was a keen walker and wanted to make this symphony reflect that, so much of the musical material actually sounds like a walk in the country. Conseque...
By this point in his life, Beethoven was churning out belter after belter. Seemingly unable to put a foot wrong with his symphonies, the reaction he got from the seventh was predictably positive. In fact, when it was premiered in 1813, the crowd got so excited that they demanded to hear the second movement again. Neatly, that particular movement is...
The eighth is something of a curio in the Beethoven canon. Clearly it was one of the composer's favourites (he called it 'my little symphony in F'), and it features some delightful themes. Beethoven knocked it together in four months and claimed it was better than the seventh (he never was a fan of his own audience), but it got a fairly 'polite' re...
If you're going to write a big symphony, you might as well make it the biggest one ever composed (at the time). And if you're going to make it about something, you might as well make it about the triumphant union of mankind. No pressure, then. Beethoven's final symphony is a beast, but arguably the most rewarding of all of them. Listen to how the o...
Dec 8, 2023 · Player-Time for 60 players = 60 * T. We know that the total player-time required to play Beethoven’s 9th Symphony remains constant at 4,800 player-minutes, as the music itself doesn’t change. So, we can set up the equation: 4,800 (player-minutes) = 60 (players) * T. Now, let’s solve for T (time):
Dec 19, 2023 · A Guide To Beethoven’s 9 Symphonies. Written by Izaak Walton. Last updated 19th December 2023. Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827) was a legendary German composer who bridged the gap between the classical and romantic periods. While he wrote pieces in a variety of genres, he is most readily associated with his contributions to the Symphony.
Oct 21, 2015 · Symphony No 7. By Michael Tilson Thomas 'Beethoven is not programmatic, but his music is always distinctive and recognisable; and always, somehow, he succeeds in examining some different part of us and our nature.' Read the article . Symphony No 8. By Paavo Järvi 'It is completely wrong to try and play this piece in the style of the Ninth.
Mar 27, 2020 · Beethoven was 29 in 1800, when his First Symphony premiered in Vienna. Though his reputation had been growing, a symphony was a major statement, and this piece exudes the freshness and imagination ...
