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Beethoven symphonies: no composer revolutionised the symphony like Beethoven. Here's a guide to his nine symphonies and their best recordings
Double the pleasure. Hans von Bülow, first chief conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker and Beethoven enthusiast, gave a double performance of the Ninth in March 1889. An absolute novelty for the Berlin audience, but one which the press found quite controversial. It was derided as “whimsical” and “foolish”. The critic of the Neue ...
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- 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.
We choose the very best sets of Beethoven symphonies. Discover the wonderful world of classical music, its composers, performers and more, with BBC Music
- Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21 Beethoven’s 1st Symphony, also known as Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21, is a groundbreaking and exuberant work that marks the beginning of Beethoven’s symphonic journey and showcases his unique compositional style.
- Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36 Beethoven’s 2nd Symphony, also known as Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36, is a bold and spirited work that showcases Beethoven’s development as a composer and his unique approach to symphonic composition.
- Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 (“Eroica”) Beethoven’s 3rd Symphony, also known as Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55, is a groundbreaking and revolutionary work that marks a turning point in the history of classical music.
- Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Major, Op. 60 Beethoven’s 4th Symphony, also known as Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Major, Op. 60, is a masterpiece of classical music that showcases Beethoven’s unparalleled compositional skill and artistic maturity.
The Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, is a choral symphony, the final complete symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven, composed between 1822 and 1824. It was first performed in Vienna on 7 May 1824. The symphony is regarded by many critics and musicologists as a masterpiece of Western classical music and one of the supreme achievements in the ...
Jan 6, 2022 · Unlike its predecessor, Symphony No. 4 was failed to reach the lofty heights that Beethoven had set himself. That doesn’t mean that the fourth symphony wasn’t brilliant. Perhaps people were expecting Beethoven to outdo his third symphony with the fourth, which avoided the bold and theatrical themes that characterized the third.
