Maestro 005 feat. Ludwig van Beethoven
Maestro Classical Podcast: episode 5 feat. Ludwig van Beethoven, movements from Symphonies No. 1, 5, & 9.
Ludwig van Beethoven (16 December 1770 – 26 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He was a crucial figure in the transitional period between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western classical music, and remains one of the most respected and influential composers of all time.
Born in Bonn, he moved to Vienna in his early twenties and settled there, studying with Joseph Haydn and quickly gained a reputation as a virtuoso pianist. Beethoven's hearing gradually deteriorated beginning in his twenties, yet he continued to compose, and to conduct and perform, even after he was completely deaf.
This is Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Opus 21. It was written in 1799 - 1800 and was premiered April 2, 1800 in Vienna, and is dedicated to Baron Gottfried van Swieten, an early patron of the composer. Here, the 3rd movement is performed by the USSR State Symphony, conducted by Konstantin Ivanov.
Konstantin Ivanov
"Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21" (mp3)
from "Beethoven: Symphony No. 1, The Creatures of Prometheus Overture"
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Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 was written in 1804– - 08. This symphony is one of the most popular and well-known compositions in all of European classical music, and is also one of the most often-played symphonies. First performed in Vienna's Theater an der Wien in 1808, the work achieved its prodigious reputation soon afterwards.
The symphony, and the four-note opening motif in particular, are well known worldwide, with the motif appearing frequently in popular culture, from disco to rock and roll, to appearances in film and television.
The Fifth stands with the Third Symphony and Ninth Symphony as the most revolutionary of Beethoven's compositions.
Here, the first movement is performed by the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andreas Delfs.
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra & Andreas Delfs "Beethoven: Symphony No. 5" (mp3)
from "Beethoven: Symphony No. 5"
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Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 "Choral" is the last complete symphony composed by Ludwig van Beethoven. Completed in 1824, it is considered both an icon and a forefather of Romantic music, and one of Beethoven's greatest masterpieces. It incorporates part of the poem "Ode to Joy" by Friedrich Schiller, written in 1785, with text sung by soloists and a chorus in the last movement. It is the first example of a major composer using the human voice on the same level with instruments in a symphony, creating a work of a grand scope that set the tone for the Romantic symphonic form. Further testament to its prominence is that an original manuscript of this work sold in 2003 for $3.3 million USD at Sotheby's, London. Stephen Roe, the head of Sotheby's manuscripts department, described the symphony as "one of the highest achievements of man, ranking alongside Shakespeare's Hamlet and King Lear."
Here, the final movement is performed by Ama Deus Ensemble, conducted by Valentin Radu.
Ama Deus Ensemble, Valentin Radu "Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125 - "Choral"" (mp3)
from "Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 & Die Ruinen von Athen"
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