Brief Histories of Beethoven Symphonies Brief Histories of Beethoven Symphonies Brief Histories of Beethoven Symphonies Hulton Archive/Getty Images Share By Aaron Green Beethoven remains as one of the most well known composers in the modern world. It is, no doubt, made possible by his ground breaking symphonies. Beethoven's symphonies number only nine; each one unique, each one preparing the way for the next. Beethovens most popular symphonies, No's. 3, 5, and 9, have graced the ears of millions of listeners. Their histories, for the most part, are known by many. However, what about the other six symphonies? Below you will find brief histories of all nine Beethoven symphonies. Beethoven Symphony No. 1, Op. 21, C Major Beethoven began writing Symphony No. 1 in 1799. It premiered April 2, 1800, in Vienna. Compared to other Beethoven symphonies, this symphony sounds the tamest. However, when it premiered, imagine how the audience reacted. After all, they were used to hearing the purely classical styles of Haydn and Mozart.

They must have been shocked to hear the piece begin on a dissonant chord . Beethoven Symphony No. 2, Op. 36, D Major Beethoven laid the ground for this symphony at least three years before its completion in 1802. continue reading below our video Highest Paid Female Actors Ever This was a dramatic time for Beethoven as his hearing was quickly diminishing. Some believe the overall sunny nature of this symphony is Beethovens personal will to overcome his problem. Others believe the opposite: not every composer writes music set to their own inner-struggles; Beethoven was almost suicidal because of his hearing. Beethoven Symphony No. 3, Op. 55, E flat Major, Eroica The Eroica Symphony was first performed privately in early August, 1804. We know from discovered writings of Lobkowitz, one of Beethovens patrons, that the first public performance was on April 7, 1805 at the Theater-an-der-Wien in Vienna, Austria. It is clear that the performance was not as well accepted or understood as the composer would have liked.

Harold Schonberg tells us that, Musical Vienna was divided on the merits of the Eroica. Some called it Beethovens masterpiece. Others said that the work merely illustrated a striving for originality that did not come off. Full Review: Beethoven "Eroica" Symphony Beethoven Symphony No. 4, Op. 60, B flat Major While Beethoven was composing his famous 5th Symphony, he set it aside to work on a symphonic commission he received from the Sicilian Count, Oppersdorff. Much is unknown why he set it aside; perhaps it was too heavy and dramatic for the Count's liking. As a result, Symphony No. 4, composed in 1806, became one of Beethovens lighter symphonies. Beethoven Symphony No. 5, Op. 67, C Minor Composed during 1804-08, Beethoven premiered Symphony No. 5 in Viennas Theater an der Wein on December 22, 1808. Beethovens Symphony No. 5 is by far the most well known symphony in the world. Its opening four notes are far from being indistinguishable.

When Symphony No. 5 premiered, Beethoven also premiered Symphony No. 6, but in the actual concert program, the numbers of the symphonies were switched. Beethoven Symphony No. 6, Op. 68, F Major, Pastoral In the concert program in which it first premiered, Beethoven labeled Symphony No. 6 with the title Recollections of Country Life. Although many believe this symphony to house some of Beethovens most beautiful writing, the audience at its first performance was not too happy with it. I would probably agree with them after having heard Symphony No. 5 before it. However, Beethovens Pastoral Symphony remains popular and is played in symphony halls throughout the world. Beethoven Symphony No. 7, Op. 92, A Major Beethovens Symphony No. 7 was completed in 1812 and conducted its premier on December 8, 1813 in the University of Vienna. Beethovens Symphony No.

7 is widely viewed as a symphony of dance, where as, Wagner described it as the apotheosis of the dance. Its highly enjoyable, haunting 2nd movement was often most encored. Beethoven Symphony No. 8, Op. 93, F Major This symphony is Beethovens shortest. It is often referred to as The Little Symphony in F Major. Its duration is roughly 26 minutes. Amongst a sea of exuberant symphonies, Beethovens Symphony No. 8 is often overlooked. Beethoven composed this symphony in 1812 at the age of 42. It premiered two years later on February 27, alongside Symphony No. 7. Beethoven Symphony No. 9, Op. 125, D Minor Choral Beethovens last symphony, Symphony No. 9 marks a triumphant and glorious end. Beethovens Symphony No. 9 was completed in 1824 when Beethoven was completely deaf, and was premiered on Friday, May 7, 1824 in the Kärntnertortheater in Vienna.

Beethoven was the first composer to include the human voice at the same level as the instruments. Its text,  An Die Freude  was written by Schiller. When the piece ended, Beethoven, being deaf, was still conducting. The soprano soloist turned him around to accept his applause. Beethoven, Symphony 9, 4th movement (complete) Ode to Joy, Presto, Philharmonia Baroque - YouTube Beethoven, Symphony 9, 4th movement (complete) Ode to Joy, Presto, Philharmonia Baroque Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Dec 7, 2011 The final movement of Beethoven's last symphony, performed by the Philharmonia Baroque orchestra, directed by Nicholas McGegan. FAQ Q: I appreciate the animated graphical scores you make; how can I support your work? A: Thank you!

The easiest way to support my work is by contributing via Patreon: Q: Who are the performers? A: The chorus includes members of three choirs: the Philharmonia Chorale, directed by Bruce Lamott, San Francisco Choral Artists, directed by Magen Solomon, and the U. C. Berkeley Chamber Chorus, directed by Marika Kuzma. The soloists are soprano Lynne Dawson, mezzo-soprano Mary Phillips, tenor Iain Paton, and baritone Andrew Foster-Williams. Q: Where can I get this recording? A: The recording is from Magnatune, where you can listen to or purchase it: Beethoven's ninth symphony: special recordings on cd... Ludwig van Beethoven's website - a quartet of solo voices (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) in the finale; a four voice choir in the finale. Structure: The Ninth Symphony of Beethoven comprises four large movements: the 1 st movement: allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso, begins piano, in a mysterious manner. Then the vigorous first theme arrives, in d minor, tutti and fortissimo.

The second theme is represented by three different motives, there is no reprise of the exposition which links smoothly to the grandiose development; the 2 nd movement: molto vivace is a fast scherzo, notable for the use it makes of the kettledrums. The principal theme, in d minor, is presented with fugal entries. The presto, in D major, takes the place of the trio. The 3 rd movement: adagio molto cantabile, in B flat major, comprises two varied and moving themes. Between the variations there is twice an interlude, andante, another more tender and optimistic theme. The 4 th movement: the longest, and requiring the complete orchestra with four vocal soloists and a four voices choir. It lasts for about 25 minutes and includes the Ode to Joy.

The finale of the Ninth Symphony The finale comprises 9 parts: 1 – Presto: opened by a brilliant fanfare; 2 – Allegro assai: announced by the basses with the famous theme, interrupted three times by the themes of the first three movements; 3 – Presto: after some orchestral introductory measures, the bass intervenes «O Freunde, nicht diese Töne». Note that the words of the recitative are by Beethoven; 4 – Allegro assai: here is truly the Ode to Joy, started by the bass, «Freude» then «Freude, schöner Götterfunken»; entrance of the choir «deine Zauber...», then dialogue with the vocal quartet; 5 – Alla marcia (allegro assai vivace).

«Turkish» music, and tenor solo «Froh...», response of the male choir, long tutti of the orchestra following the choir «Freude, schöner Götterfunken»; 6 – Andante maestoso: slow choir accompanied particularly by trombones, followed by an adagio ma non troppo, ma divoto (with choir); 7 – Allegro energico, sempre ben marcato: brilliant choir with brass; 8 – Allegro ma non tanto: only with soloists the entry of the choir. Poco allegro passage, stringendo il tempo, sempre piu allegro: eight measures which lead to prestissimo; 9 – Prestissimo (fortissimo): brilliant choral conclusion. In December 1989, in Berlin, shortly after the fall of the wall, Leonard Bernstein who conducted the 9th Symphony, for the first time used the word «Freiheit». Incidentally, it may be remembered that, in 1986, the theme of the Ode to Joy was chosen for the European Anthem . The timings of the 9th Symphony It may be interesting to examine the respective timings of each movement in some performances.

- Oscar FRIED with the Orchester Staatsoper Berlin made the first recording of the 9 th, in 1929, with the following timings; 13’56 - 10’ - 13’56 - 23’22. - Felix WEINGARTNER: with the Vienna Philharmonic, recorded the 9th on 7th October 1938. It is an historical version, included in the first complete recording of Beethoven's symphonies by the same conductor. 15’30 - 10’01 - 14’47 - 22’53. - Arturo TOSCANINI, 22nd December 1939, recorded in public, with the NBC Symphony Orchestra, another historic 9th, of: 12’46 - 12’37 - 13’02 - 23’17.

The same TOSCANINI recorded, in the limits of his complete «official», the 9th, in April 1952 with the same orchestra in: 13’30 - 13’09 -14’21- 23’24 (total: 64’43). - Wilhelm FURTWAENGLER frequently conducted and recorded the 9th Symphony; there exists around 12 recordings, with five different orchestras. The most well known version, regularly re-edited since the mid century is that of 29th July 1951, performed with the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra then in its revival a grand and solemn performance: 17’51 - 12’ - 19’32 - 24’59 (total: 74’23).

- l another FURTWANGLER version, quite comparable, was recorded 30th May 1953 in Vienna with the Vienna Philharmonic, in: 18’28 - 12’18 - 19’17 - 25’33 (total: 75’33). - Herbert von KARAJAN left five recordings of the 9th Symphony: 1. with the Vienna Philharmonic in December 1947: 15’56 - 10’10 - 15’44 - 24’52. 2. with the London Philharmonia in 1955: 15’08 - 10’09 - 16’06 - 24’06. 3. with the Berlin Philharmonic in 1962: 15’27 - 10’58 - 16’25 - 23’58. 4.

with the Berlin Philharmonic in 1977: 15’21 - 10’04 - 16’50 - 24’13. 5. with the Berlin Philharmonic in 1985: 15’34 - 10’26 - 15’54 - 24’19. The consistency of Karajan's tempi is astounding, unvarying in 40 years. A discography of the 9th Symphony Since the age of 78s to our times, the 9th Symphony has been recorded a great number of times, we have counted no fewer than 150 versions! The 9th is to be found, of course, included in the 80 complete signals on this site . The majority of the great conductors have recorded the nine symphonies, but certainly, for example Ferenc Friscay disappear prema turely,and could not complete their cycle. Nevertheless there exists many single 9ths, some recorded “live”, in concert.

Citing some interpretations allows the conductors of the past (this list is by no means definitive): Chronology of Beethoven's life - Ludwig van Beethoven's website When was Beethoven born? December 16th uncertain in Bonn, Germany December 17th: Baptized at Bonn Certificate of Baptism of Ludwig van Beethoven...

1774 April 8th: Baptism of his brother Caspar Anton Carl Ludwig learns music with his father 1776 October 2nd: Baptism of his brother Nikolaus Johann Museum of Bonn - the house where Beethoven lived as a child 1778 March 26th: Ludwig's first known public performance, at Cologne 1779 February 23rd: Baptism of his sister Anna Maria Franziska (died four days later) October: Neefe pursues Ludwig's musical training 1781 January 17th: Baptism of his brother Franz Georg (died two years later) 1782 Publication of first work in Beethoven life known as the Dressler Variations 1783 October 14th: Publication of three sonatas and other works 1784 June: Ludwig is appointed organist to the Choir of Maximilian Franz. He is 14 year old. Museum of Bonn - The piano...

1786 May 5th: Baptism of his sister Maria Margaretha (died one year later) 1787 Visited Vienna, studied with Mozart July 17th: death of his mother Beethoven's mother's tombstone at Bonn... 1789-1792 December 5th: Death of Mozart 1792 November 2nd: Left for Vienna November 10th: Arrived at Vienna Musical studies with Haydn December 18th: Death of his father 1794 May: His brother Carl arrives at Vienna January 19th: Haydn returns to London.

Ludwig studies with Albrechtsberger Composition of his first major work: Trios for Piano (opus 1) 1795 March 29th: First public appearance at Vienna; he played his own works July: Finished his studies with Albrechtsberger August: Trios for Piano (opus 1) published September: Haydn returns to Vienna and meets Ludwig December 26th: His brother Johann arrives in Vienna Proposes to Magdalena Willmann, but she refuses him 1796 Numerous Beethoven compositions and a concert given at Prague July: Returns to Vienna after Prague, Dresden, Leipzig, and Berlin before leaving for a concert in Budapest 1797 Probably the year of a serious illness, which triggered his deafness 1797-1799 Composition and publication of works Signature of Ludwig van Beethoven 1799 Began composing the first symphony 1800 Concert at Vienna, playing of his first symphony End of the year: Composition of his second symphony The score of Ludwig van Beethoven's first symphony...

1802 February: Finished his second symphony April: left for Heiligenstadt in the hope that his hearing would improve. Returned to Vienna in October Heiligenstadt,where Beethoven wrote his will... 1803 January: Ludwig became the composer of the Theatre of Vienna, where he lived with his brother Carl June-October: Composed the Eroica symphony August 6th: The piano maker Sébastien Erard sent him a new piano, as a present. This allowed for bigger intervals - like the pianos we have today. 1804 April: His contract with the theatre finishes 1805 April 7th: First public performance of the Eroica symphony Numerous workings on Leonore, with a premiere on November 20 The score of the Third Symphony,the Eroica, by Ludwig van Beethoven...

1806 May 25th: Marriage of his brother Caspar Carl Journey with the Prince Lichnowsky, and composition of the fourth symphony 1807 Composition of the Coriolan Overture March: First performance of the fourth symphony Autumn: Composition of the fifth symphony 1808 Spring-Summer: Composition of the sixth symphony - The Pastoral December: Playing of the sixth symphony 1809 April 9th: War is declared against France May 10th: French army surrounds Vienna May 11th-12th: France takes possession of Vienna Beethoven teaches music to Archduke Rudolphe 1810 April 27th: Beethoven presents 'The Letter for Elise' to Thérèse Malfatti 1811 October: Beethoven begins writing the seventh symphony 1812 Beginning of the year: Beethoven is still ill September 10th: Writing of the first bars of the ninth symphony 1818 February 14th: Beethoven and Salieri recommend the metronome in the Viennese press.

February: Beethoven's deafness is such that he has to use a notebook and pencil to converse with visitors. December 3rd: Karl runs away to his mother's home, but Beethoven demands that the police bring him back. 1819 January 11th: The guardianship of Karl is taken away from Beethoven on grounds of his deafness. November: Composition of 'Missa Solemnis' 1820 April 8th: Beethoven becomes Karl's tutor again, with Karl Peters. 1821 January and the following months: Beethoven becomes regularly ill 1822 October: Pursues the composition of the ninth symphony and the beginnings of the tenth 1823 March 6th: Beethoven names Karl as his heir Works on the ninth symphony 1824 Works on the tenth symphony (only the first movement was written in detail) February: Finished writing the ninth symphony May 7th: Public playing of the ninth symphony 1825 May 7th-October 15th: Beethoven installs himself at Baden 1826 August 6th: Karl attempts suicide by shooting himself in the head.

He's only injured. December: Beethoven's health starts to decline. He undergoes an operation. 1827 The Symphonies Of Beethoven | The Great Courses Questions & Answers Course Overview Why is Beethoven one of the most revered composers in the history of Western music? Professor Robert Greenberg answers: "Beethoven possessed a unique gift for communication. He radiated an absolute directness that makes his music totally accessible. The sheer emotional power of his music is readily understood. His revolutionary compositional ideas are easily appreciated. "And his nine symphonies are among the greatest achievements of the human spirit. "They were revolutionary on every level: harmonic, melodic, rhythmic, formal, dramatic, self-expressive, and emotional. Beethoven led the charge to a totally new era. He threw out the restraint of 18th-century classicism and ushered in romantic self-expression. His symphonic offspring were the first statesmen of this new, musical democracy." Beethoven's artistic progress is historically measured in three periods: The Viennese period, 1792–1802. Symphonies nos. 1 and 2 are composed in this decade. In them, Beethoven innovates within the Classical style.

The Heroic period, 1803–1815. Symphonies nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are composed during this time. With these symphonies, Beethoven makes revolutionary breaks away from the Classical style. The Late period, 1820–1826. This period is dominated by the most revolutionary and influential composition of Beethoven's career: Symphony no. 9. Here Beethoven fuses all art forms into one monumental work and heralds a new era of unfettered musical expression. Over the course of these 32 lectures on the history and analysis of Beethoven's nine symphonies, we see how he revolutionized musical composition and created works of unique beauty, power, and depth. Beethoven and the Heroic Style The first four lectures introduce Beethoven the man and his musical development up to 1808. To put his achievements into perspective, we examine Beethoven's early life, his physical and spiritual development, and the historical circumstances and prevailing musical style that influenced his development.

We study his seemingly unique approach to the piano, and his arrival and celebrity in music and piano-crazed Vienna, as well as his ill-fated lessons with Haydn. We learn the basic tenets of the Classical style and how Beethoven stretched those rules in his first two symphonies. We start to understand Beethoven as a man of his time, a man shaped by his emotional demons and physical ailments. The Viennese Period Symphony no. 1: Beethoven as Classicist—Tradition and Innovation. These lectures examine how Beethoven pushes the envelope in his very first symphony. Symphony no. 2: Beethoven at the Edge. It is 1802. After six years of progressive hearing loss, a distraught Beethoven pours out his agony and rage in a never-mailed letter. "As the leaves of autumn wither and fall," he cries, "so has my own life become barren." Yet even as he battles despair, he vows to his friend Franz Wegeler that he "will take fate by the throat" and "embrace the whole world." He writes his brilliant, lighthearted Second Symphony. Symphony no.

2 has an extraordinary expressive and compositional range that puts it at the outer edge of the Classical style, even as it approached Beethoven's new heroic aesthetic, which was fully realized in Symphony no. 3 of 1803. The Heroic Period Symphony no. 3: The "New Path"—Heroism and Self-Expression. Symphony no. 3 (Eroica) marked Beethoven's coming of age. He built the whole of his subsequent output on it. It is the key work in Beethoven's musical revolution, a revolution precipitated by the crisis of his hearing problem. Symphony no. 3 is a metaphor for the eternal struggle of the hero against adversity, a struggle with which Beethoven personally identified. In creating such a symphony, Beethoven provided for his adopted Viennese community a heroic, patriotic self-identity in which, in the face of increasing humiliation by the French, they could find emotional support. Symphony no. 4: Consolidation of the New Aesthetic. In these four lectures, we track the chronology of Beethoven's fourth, fifth, and sixth symphonies and study the Fourth Symphony.

The framework of the Fourth Symphony is traditional, but it is filled with iconoclastic rhythms and harmonies that clearly mark it as a product of the composer's post-Eroica period. Though a masterwork of the first order, Beethoven's Fourth Symphony had the ill fortune to appear between the epochal Symphonies nos. 3 and 5. It was a bad break, but certainly not one that should doom this effervescent and joyful symphony to semi-obscurity. Symphony no. 5: The Expressive Ideal Fully Formed. How did the iconoclastic Fifth Symphony crystallize Beethoven's mature compositional innovations? He subjects form to context. He establishes motivic development as a fundamental of his art. He introduces the concept of drama into the formal layout of movements. He introduces the concept of primal, almost rock 'n' roll-like rhythm as a narrative element. And he decrees that music must, above all, be self-expression. Symphony no. 6: The Symphony as Program. In this symphony, Beethoven elevates program music to a genre of substance.

While Beethoven warns us against too literal an interpretation of the sixth, Lectures 20–22 observe the progress of the symphony as it unfolds over a 24-hour (or so) period spent in the country. Along the way, we witness music that is metaphorical, metaphysical, meteorological, and downright descriptive as Beethoven paints both a physical environment and the emotions that environment inspires. Symphony no. 7: The Symphony as Dance. In 1812, Beethoven broke off his affair with his "immortal beloved," Antonie Brentano, with all the grief and despair that entailed. His hearing also underwent a precipitous decline. Yet, and perhaps because of these personal disasters, he was able to write the exuberant, dance-inspired Seventh Symphony. Moreover, in this period Beethoven's fame and fortune were revived by the (unmerited) popularity of his battle symphony, Wellington's Victory. This work was inspired by Wellington's defeat of Napoleon in Spain and premiered at the same concert as Beethoven's Seventh Symphony. Symphony no. 8: Homage to Classicism. The Eighth Symphony is full of raucous humor and brilliant wit.

It was born amid Beethoven's ongoing grief for the loss of his beloved and the sudden return of his public fortune during the Beethoven revival of 1813–1814. The Eighth Symphony premiered in February 1814. We see it as a loving look backwards to the Classical era by the composer who did more to destroy it than any other. Despite its classical pretensions, Beethoven's Symphony no. 8 is a thoroughly "modern" work, exhibiting all sorts of melodic, harmonic, rhythmic, and formal twists, turns, and puns that mark it as Beethoven's own. The Late Period Symphony no. 9: The Symphony as the World. In these lectures we learn about Beethoven's fall from public favor in 1815, the loss of his most loyal patrons, his worsening hearing loss, his disastrous possessiveness toward his nephew Karl, his consequent emotional decline, and finally his rebirth with the composition of his late-period works. We see how the Ninth Symphony obliterated time-honored distinctions in its conception as a Gesamtkunstwerk, a work that embraces all art forms, including literature, song, and drama.

We pay special attention to the dual nature of the symphony: the "contemporary" struggle against darkness as described by movements 1, 2, and 3, and the vision of a utopian "future" described in the fourth movement. Hide Full Description 1 Beethoven and the Heroic Style, I Lectures 1 through 4 introduce Beethoven the man and his musical development up to the premiere of Symphony no. 6 in 1808. We look at his early life, historical circumstances, and the musical style that influenced his development. We follow his move to Vienna, his studies with Haydn, his thoughts on Napoleon, and the premiere of the Eroica Symphony. His hearing loss is examined as the catalyst of the new compositional path he will take. x 2 Beethoven and the Heroic Style, II Lectures 1 through 4 introduce Beethoven the man and his musical development up to the premiere of Symphony no. 6 in 1808. We look at his early life, historical circumstances, and the musical style that influenced his development. We follow his move to Vienna, his studies with Haydn, his thoughts on Napoleon, and the premiere of the Eroica Symphony.

His hearing loss is examined as the catalyst of the new compositional path he will take. x 3 Beethoven and the Heroic Style, III Lectures 1 through 4 introduce Beethoven the man and his musical development up to the premiere of Symphony no. 6 in 1808. We look at his early life, historical circumstances, and the musical style that influenced his development. We follow his move to Vienna, his studies with Haydn, his thoughts on Napoleon, and the premiere of the Eroica Symphony. His hearing loss is examined as the catalyst of the new compositional path he will take. x 4 Beethoven and the Heroic Style, IV Lectures 1 through 4 introduce Beethoven the man and his musical development up to the premiere of Symphony no. 6 in 1808. We look at his early life, historical circumstances, and the musical style that influenced his development. We follow his move to Vienna, his studies with Haydn, his thoughts on Napoleon, and the premiere of the Eroica Symphony. His hearing loss is examined as the catalyst of the new compositional path he will take. x 5 Symphony No.

1—Beethoven as Classicist—Tradition and Innovation, I Lectures 5 and 6 examine the "new path" that Beethoven began with his first symphony. We see his innovations in the context of contemporary events. Symphony no. 1, Beethoven's great Classical symphony, is analyzed along with the musical style and the major musical forms of the Classical era. x 6 Symphony No. 1—Beethoven as Classicist—Tradition and Innovation, II Lectures 5 and 6 examine the "new path" that Beethoven began with his first symphony. We see his innovations in the context of contemporary events. Symphony no. 1, Beethoven's great Classical symphony, is analyzed along with the musical style and the major musical forms of the Classical era. x 7 Symphony No. 2—Beethoven at the Edge, I Lectures 7 and 8 analyze Symphony no. 2 of 1802. We see how this symphony heralded a heroic style that Beethoven fully realized in Symphony no. 3. Also discussed is the Heiligenstadt Testament, a letter he wrote about his personal crisis as he realized he was going deaf.

We consider how Beethoven's development as a composer was affected by his fight with deafness. x 8 Symphony No. 2—Beethoven at the Edge, II Lectures 7 and 8 analyze Symphony no. 2 of 1802. We see how this symphony heralded a heroic style that Beethoven fully realized in Symphony no. 3. Also discussed is the Heiligenstadt Testament, a letter he wrote about his personal crisis as he realized he was going deaf. We consider how Beethoven's development as a composer was affected by his fight with deafness. x 9 Symphony No. 3—The "New Path"—Heroism and Self-Expression, I Lectures 9 through 12 focus on Symphony no. 3, the Eroica Symphony. This key work in Beethoven's compositional revolution resulted from his crisis of going deaf. Beethoven's struggle with his disability raised him to a new level of creativity. Symphony no. 3 parallels his heroic battle with and ultimate triumph over adversity. The symphony's debt to Napoleon is discussed before an analysis. x 10 Symphony No.

3—The "New Path"—Heroism and Self-Expression, II Lectures 9 through 12 focus on Symphony no. 3, the Eroica Symphony. This key work in Beethoven's compositional revolution resulted from his crisis of going deaf. Beethoven's struggle with his disability raised him to a new level of creativity. Symphony no. 3 parallels his heroic battle with and ultimate triumph over adversity. The symphony's debt to Napoleon is discussed before an analysis. x 11 Symphony No. 3—The "New Path"—Heroism and Self-Expression, III Lectures 9 through 12 focus on Symphony no. 3, the Eroica Symphony. This key work in Beethoven's compositional revolution resulted from his crisis of going deaf. Beethoven's struggle with his disability raised him to a new level of creativity. Symphony no. 3 parallels his heroic battle with and ultimate triumph over adversity. The symphony's debt to Napoleon is discussed before an analysis. x 12 Symphony No. 3—The "New Path"—Heroism and Self-Expression, IV Lectures 9 through 12 focus on Symphony no. 3, the Eroica Symphony.

This key work in Beethoven's compositional revolution resulted from his crisis of going deaf. Beethoven's struggle with his disability raised him to a new level of creativity. Symphony no. 3 parallels his heroic battle with and ultimate triumph over adversity. The symphony's debt to Napoleon is discussed before an analysis. x 13 Symphony No. 4—Consolidation of the New Aesthetic, I Lectures 13 through 16 examine Symphony no. 4 in historical context and in its relationship to opera buffa. Symphony no. 4 is the most infrequently heard of his symphonies. We see how it represents a return to a Classical structure. Its framework is filled with iconoclastic rhythms, harmonies, and characteristic motivic developments that mark it as a product of Beethoven's post-Eroica period. x 14 Symphony No. 4—Consolidation of the New Aesthetic, II Lectures 13 through 16 examine Symphony no. 4 in historical context and in its relationship to opera buffa. Symphony no. 4 is the most infrequently heard of his symphonies. We see how it represents a return to a Classical structure.

Its framework is filled with iconoclastic rhythms, harmonies, and characteristic motivic developments that mark it as a product of Beethoven's post-Eroica period. x 15 Symphony No. 4—Consolidation of the New Aesthetic, III Lectures 13 through 16 examine Symphony no. 4 in historical context and in its relationship to opera buffa. Symphony no. 4 is the most infrequently heard of his symphonies. We see how it represents a return to a Classical structure. Its framework is filled with iconoclastic rhythms, harmonies, and characteristic motivic developments that mark it as a product of Beethoven's post-Eroica period. x 16 Symphony No. 4—Consolidation of the New Aesthetic, IV Lectures 13 through 16 examine Symphony no. 4 in historical context and in its relationship to opera buffa. Symphony no. 4 is the most infrequently heard of his symphonies. We see how it represents a return to a Classical structure. Its framework is filled with iconoclastic rhythms, harmonies, and characteristic motivic developments that mark it as a product of Beethoven's post-Eroica period.

x 17 Symphony No. 5—The Expressive Ideal Fully Formed, I Lectures 17 through 19 focus on Symphony no. 5 with references to its disastrous 1808 premiere and an in-depth analysis of the score. Beethoven is revealed as an extraordinary and unprecedented master of the art of developing entire movements from small, seemingly inconsequential motives. Symphony no. 5 also shows him to have a revolutionary concept of rhythm as a narrative element and a key factor in generating drama. x 18 Symphony No. 5—The Expressive Ideal Fully Formed, II Lectures 17 through 19 focus on Symphony no. 5 with references to its disastrous 1808 premiere and an in-depth analysis of the score. Beethoven is revealed as an extraordinary and unprecedented master of the art of developing entire movements from small, seemingly inconsequential motives. Symphony no. 5 also shows him to have a revolutionary concept of rhythm as a narrative element and a key factor in generating drama. x 19 Symphony No. 5—The Expressive Ideal Fully Formed, III Lectures 17 through 19 focus on Symphony no.

5 with references to its disastrous 1808 premiere and an in-depth analysis of the score. Beethoven is revealed as an extraordinary and unprecedented master of the art of developing entire movements from small, seemingly inconsequential motives. Symphony no. 5 also shows him to have a revolutionary concept of rhythm as a narrative element and a key factor in generating drama. x 20 Symphony No. 6—The Symphony as Program, I Lectures 20 through 22 discuss Symphony no. 6 as an example of pure expression, representative of Beethoven's love of nature and the countryside. We see how Beethoven elevated program music to heights it had not previously enjoyed, presaging the Romantic era's love affair with the genre. We examine how Symphony no. 6 is as different from Symphonies no. 5 and 7 as night from day. x 21 Symphony No. 6—The Symphony as Program, II Lectures 20 through 22 discuss Symphony no. 6 as an example of pure expression, representative of Beethoven's love of nature and the countryside. We see how Beethoven elevated program music to heights it had not previously enjoyed, presaging the Romantic era's love affair with the genre. We examine how Symphony no.

6 is as different from Symphonies no. 5 and 7 as night from day. x 22 Symphony No. 6—The Symphony as Program, III Lectures 20 through 22 discuss Symphony no. 6 as an example of pure expression, representative of Beethoven's love of nature and the countryside. We see how Beethoven elevated program music to heights it had not previously enjoyed, presaging the Romantic era's love affair with the genre. We examine how Symphony no. 6 is as different from Symphonies no. 5 and 7 as night from day. x 23 Symphony No. 7—The Symphony as Dance, I Lectures 23 and 24 discuss Beethoven's Symphony no. 7 with references to the historical and personal events surrounding its composition. The essence of the symphony is seen to be the power of rhythm, and originality is seen to be an important artistic goal for Beethoven. x 24 Symphony No. 7—The Symphony as Dance, II Lectures 23 and 24 discuss Beethoven's Symphony no. 7 with references to the historical and personal events surrounding its composition.

The essence of the symphony is seen to be the power of rhythm, and originality is seen to be an important artistic goal for Beethoven. x 25 Symphony No. 8—Homage to Classicism, I Lectures 25 through 27 discuss Beethoven's Symphony no. 8 of 1814, and refer to the personal and political events that affected Beethoven's life. We learn how Symphony no. 8, reminiscent of the Classical style, is a "modern" work, full of Beethoven's personality. Other topics discussed include the "Immortal Beloved" affair, Beethoven's deteriorating health, Napoleon's demise, Wellington's Victory, and the meteoric rise of Beethoven's popularity in 1814. x 26 Symphony No. 8—Homage to Classicism, II Lectures 25 through 27 discuss Beethoven's Symphony no. 8 of 1814, and refer to the personal and political events that affected Beethoven's life. We learn how Symphony no. 8, reminiscent of the Classical style, is a "modern" work, full of Beethoven's personality.

Other topics discussed include the "Immortal Beloved" affair, Beethoven's deteriorating health, Napoleon's demise, Wellington's Victory, and the meteoric rise of Beethoven's popularity in 1814. x 27 Symphony No. 8—Homage to Classicism, III Lectures 25 through 27 discuss Beethoven's Symphony no. 8 of 1814, and refer to the personal and political events that affected Beethoven's life. We learn how Symphony no. 8, reminiscent of the Classical style, is a "modern" work, full of Beethoven's personality. Other topics discussed include the "Immortal Beloved" affair, Beethoven's deteriorating health, Napoleon's demise, Wellington's Victory, and the meteoric rise of Beethoven's popularity in 1814. x 28 Symphony No. 9—The Symphony as the World, I The last five lectures are devoted to Symphony no. 9, the most influential Western musical composition of the 19th century and the most influential symphony ever written. We see how this work obliterated distinctions between the instrumental symphony and dramatic vocal works such as opera.

Also discussed are Beethoven's fall from public favor in 1815, his disastrous relationship with his nephew Karl, his artistic rebirth around 1820, his late compositions, and his death in 1827. x 29 Symphony No. 9—The Symphony as the World, II The last five lectures are devoted to Symphony no. 9, the most influential Western musical composition of the 19th century and the most influential symphony ever written. We see how this work obliterated distinctions between the instrumental symphony and dramatic vocal works such as opera. Also discussed are Beethoven's fall from public favor in 1815, his disastrous relationship with his nephew Karl, his artistic rebirth around 1820, his late compositions, and his death in 1827. x 30 Symphony No. 9—The Symphony as the World, III The last five lectures are devoted to Symphony no. 9, the most influential Western musical composition of the 19th century and the most influential symphony ever written. We see how this work obliterated distinctions between the instrumental symphony and dramatic vocal works such as opera.

Also discussed are Beethoven's fall from public favor in 1815, his disastrous relationship with his nephew Karl, his artistic rebirth around 1820, his late compositions, and his death in 1827. x 31 Symphony No. 9—The Symphony as the World, IV The last five lectures are devoted to Symphony no. 9, the most influential Western musical composition of the 19th century and the most influential symphony ever written. We see how this work obliterated distinctions between the instrumental symphony and dramatic vocal works such as opera. Also discussed are Beethoven's fall from public favor in 1815, his disastrous relationship with his nephew Karl, his artistic rebirth around 1820, his late compositions, and his death in 1827. x 32 Symphony No. 9—The Symphony as the World, V The last five lectures are devoted to Symphony no. 9, the most influential Western musical composition of the 19th century and the most influential symphony ever written. We see how this work obliterated distinctions between the instrumental symphony and dramatic vocal works such as opera.

Also discussed are Beethoven's fall from public favor in 1815, his disastrous relationship with his nephew Karl, his artistic rebirth around 1820, his late compositions, and his death in 1827. x Lecture Titles Clone Content from Your Professor tab What's Included Reviews Rated 4.9 out of 5 by 57 reviewers. Rated 5 out of 5 by highstandards Magnificent This course is a stunning success. It begins, of course, with the content - Beethoven's symphonies. What a pleasure it is to spend 24 hours listening to and studying this extraordinary music of the master. Next, kudos to Bob Greenberg, whose teaching is truly fine and remarkable. He knows the music thoroughly, is quite proficient in teaching it beautifully, and works quite hard to be prepared and use the limited time we have together to its fullest. As a lover of music for many years, but one who has mostly known melody, I always appreciate the way Greenberg takes all of us so much deeper - into motivic development, harmonic patterns, rhythm, etc. My appreciation of music I love is so much richer for having studied with Greenberg.

I particularly appreciate the time and attention he gives to the First and Fourth symphonies. These are works I've not considered carefully enough. His four lectures on the Third are among the best teaching I've experienced with TGC. Here I'll go out on a limb: while it would be ludicrous to say any piece of music is the most significant in history, I'll say there's none more significant than the Third. All lovers of music should hear Greenberg's treatment of it. It's special. We know the Sixth is grounded in nature, but Greenberg does unique and superb work in teaching how. We know the Seventh is full of dance. Again Greenberg teaches how. I've heard Greenberg teach the amazing Fifth. He has new and wonderful insights here. And the Ninth - what can I say? Both the music and the teaching are spectacular. The course does have its shortcomings. I've grown accustomed to the corny jokes and will no longer complain about them. But Greenberg is excessive and often off base in the time and manner he teaches biography. Too much time is spent. Too little causality is shown between events in Beethoven's life and the music. Greenberg is at his best in the music itself.

He weakens when he strays into biographical theories or subjects outside the music. And we pay a price for it. For example, I would have loved three lectures on the Seventh. But there was barely over one because of the extra diversion to the "immortal beloved" and the story of the mediocre composition, Wellington's Victory. All of these little nits notwithstanding, this course is magnificent. I was as satisfied upon its conclusion as I have ever been with a course from TGC. November 10, 2013 Rated 5 out of 5 by JoeD Spanning Beethoven's Greatest Achievements Any student of music, regardless of style, comes to Beethoven eventually. Most come to his symphonies first, making this course incredibly necessary. That it weaves the sad and intriguing details of Beethoven's life into the stories of his most inspiring works makes it not only a great study of Beethoven's compositional and conceptual evolution, but also reminds us that these beautiful works came from a very flawed, irascible and vain human being. One who struggled throughout his life. The study of music NEEDS biography just as learning biology needs a knowledge of chemistry.

This is in response to other reviews of this course that complained there was too much biography in it. As an introduction to Beethoven, this course requires it and Professor Greenberg delivers it in his entertaining, sometimes frantic style. Just like Beethoven's music can itself be. Covering nine symphonies in only 32 lectures is an ambitious task, and I do wish there had been more time devoted to covering the 7th Symphony in more detail. Regardless, it became my personal favorite because of this course. There are too many course highlights to discuss, including Greenberg's telling of the "Immortal Beloved" story, his hearing loss, his Napoleon worship and subsequent disillusionment, and of course, the "Fate knocking at the door" lecture on the Fifth Symphony. You'll get all of that and much more. I'll tempt you with the story of the 4th Movement of Symphony #2. Among many other maladies, alas, Beethoven suffered from terrible gastrointestinal issues. And the story down the ages of the inspiration for the 4th Movement that Greenberg relates is hilarious and probably dead-on accurate. I'll leave you there...

No single course can cover all of Beethoven's output, and I took the course on his Piano Sonatas shortly after completing this course. I commend that one to your attention as well. Yet it's through his symphonies that Beethoven lives most vividly in the minds of his fans, as the orchestra's power and dynamism was his most expressive canvas. Take this course. Enjoy the ride. September 21, 2016 Rated 2 out of 5 by loooie Couldn't finish this I was not among those who loved this course; I'm glad there are those who enjoyed it. The professor gave less musicology and more filler and psychobable, which I just couldn't handle. In fact the delivery was so infused with the teacher's personality and the weird enthusiasm was so distracting that I could not even finish the course, though i love Beethoven. December 14, 2015 Rated 5 out of 5 by Ark1836 Nine Great Reasons to Listen Beethoven's nine symphonies are amazing works of art, and this course helps bring them to life.

My personal knowledge of orchestral music was incredibly limited until I began listening to Professor Greenberg's series of courses on music appreciation. This is the fourth of his courses that I've completed, and it is as outstanding as the others. As an initial comment, unless you are experienced with orchestral music, I recommend taking Professor Greenberg's How to Listen to and Understand Great Music before tackling this course. His introductory course provides a great deal of important contextual information that made this course easier to understand. My one caveat to this course is that there are several parts—perhaps too many—where Professor Greenberg gets very technical on musical theory. I have no ability to interpret pitches, harmonies, etc…, though the professor spends considerable time talking about how Beethoven used different musical elements like pitches in the symphonies. I will freely admit that the professor lost me almost completely when he began those discussions. A listener with a good understanding of musical theory would probably love those parts of the course, but for me it is something to endure. It is, however, worth enduring to get to the parts where the professor discusses elements of the works such as Beethoven's life experiences that influenced the music and the meaning that Beethoven was trying to express in certain passages.

Professor Greenberg does a fantastic job opening up Beethoven's nine symphonies to an amateur such as myself. The course is both fun and enlightening. September 22, 2015 2017-01-18 Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony No. 9 (Full) - YouTube Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony No. 9 (Full) Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Feb 23, 2012 Category When autoplay is enabled, a suggested video will automatically play next. Up next The Best of Mozart - Duration: 1:56:02. HALIDONMUSIC 97,521,562 views 1:56:02 Beethoven 9na-Sinfonia - Duration: 10:55. Eztétikus A 12,106,214 views 10:55 4th Mov.: Presto (Symphony No.

9 in D minor Op. 125 "Choral") ("Ode to Joy") - Duration: 23:09. Neon Genesis Evangelion Soundtracks 2,968 views 23:09 Beethoven - 9th Symphony — Free listening, videos, concerts, stats and photos at Last.fm 18 Do you know what kind of music this is? Tag this artist The Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 "Choral" is the last complete symphony composed by Ludwig van Beethoven. Completed in 1824, the Ninth Symphony is one of the best known works of the Western repertoire, considered both an icon and a forefather of Romantic music, and one of Beethoven's greatest masterpieces. Symphony No. 9 incorporates part of the Ode an die Freude ("Ode to Joy"), a poem by Friedrich Schiller, with text sung by soloists and a chorus… read more Beethoven's 9th Symphony - The Glorious Choral Masterwork Contact Beethoven's 9th Symphony - The Glorious Choral Masterwork Beethoven's Symphony no. 9 is a life-affirming masterpiece.

The joyful message of the ninth has inspired millions of listeners over the world - it's an anthem for humanity. It's hugely important in music history and world culture. It was one of the last pieces the composer wrote, and is one of his most famous. Personally I love it!! History of the Beethoven Symphony 9 The poem Beethoven used for the final movement is an excessively cheerful drinking song written by the famous poet Freidrich Schiller in 1785. The joyful lyrics talk about uniting all people in universal brotherhood. Beethoven's little introduction to the poem also mentions not dwelling on sad things, but being happy instead. The Ninth Symphony is a sort of patchwork of different times from Beethoven's life. He originally had the idea to set Schiller's poem when he was in his early 20s. He then worked on the music later, during the late 1810s and the early 1820s. Originally he didn't plan to have a choral finale. But eventually his earlier idea of setting the poem merged with the symphony he was writing, and he added voices to the fourth movement.

He struggled a bit at first with this idea, since he thought it was bizarre to suddenly have a chorus introduced after so much silence! His clever solution was to introduce it gradually, beginning with a solo baritone singer, leading up to the whole chorus entering in an exciting burst of energy. This still sounds amazing nowadays, but imagine what it must have sounded like when it was first performed! The Beethoven Symphony 9 premiered in May 1824, with Beethoven conducting. It was a huge event, the first time the musical master had performed in public for years. However, since he was completely deaf by this time, Beethoven couldn't actually hear the symphony he was supposed to be conducting! In fact, the real conductor sat out of sight at the side, secretly keeping time for the musicians. When the performance ended, the audience erupted in celebration. Beethoven was still concentrating on conducting though, since he was a few bars behind the real performance. One of the singers had to gently turn him around to see the ecstatic audience, whose cheering he couldn't hear. He left the hall with tears in his eyes, powerfully moved.

Read about other milestones in Beethoven's life here Music The composer wrote the symphony for large orchestra, choir, and four solo singers. Beethoven also swapped around bits of the traditional symphony structure, by placing the scherzo movement second, when it's usually third. 1st Movement The mysterious opening mimics the sound of an orchestra tuning up. This suggests to me that the entire symphony is being born out of a musical nothingness. The music then erupts into a frightening theme, which the whole stormy movement is based around. The first movement is in the traditional sonata form, which means that Beethoven plays around with develops this main theme a bit before repeating it much later on. 2nd Movement The second movement is a whirling scherzo, full of energetic drama. The middle trio section is softer and calmer, until the scherzo re-enters in full force, crushing any less exciting sounds. This is my favorite movement! 3rd Movement This is a slow and thoughtful movement. It's typical of Beethoven's introspective late period, and it contains graceful melodies and a very sweet orchestral sound. It's almost like a rest, a moment of calm, from the vicious fury of the previous two movements.

4th Movement The famous final movement is actually a small 20 minute symphony in itself. Broken down, you can see that it has four miniature movements, which mirror the larger movements of the symphony itself. This little symphony-in-a-symphony opens with a crashing shriek, followed by little snippets of melodies from the other movements. One by one they get cut off by the bass strings for some reason (no good? not joyful enough?), until they're all dismissed. Now there's nothing left but for the basses to invent their own material: the famous Ode to Joy theme. The choir repeats it gloriously, and then the music then goes through several variations of this majestic melody. Next is a little scherzo (2nd miniature movement), followed by a slow section (3rd miniature movement) which introduces a new theme. The final miniature movement is a fugue, which uses themes from earlier in the large movement. The Beethoven symphony 9 ends in a wonderful storm of joy, with the choir soaring and the orchestra celebrating humanity. Recommended Recording I can also recommend the 1987 recording by Georg Solti, with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus.

Solti manages to render every strand of music in the piece clear and pulsing, and although he is a little liberal with the tempo markings, especially towards the end, the entire performance is brilliantly balanced and spectacularly vivacious. Also renowned is the "Ode to Freedom" performance by Leonard Bernstein in Berlin, with the New York Philharmonic and mixed choruses. Although the ageing Bernstein performed the piece at a slower-than-average pace, which earned the scorn of some listeners, the recording still has a sense of glowing beauty, especially in the more majestic passages. Be warned though, the recording suffers from some slight errors; get this as a second or third version, not your primary 9th. There is a great simple guide of the fourth movement , with time markings and the poem in the original and translation. Also have a look at an interesting short article on Beethoven's Symphonies (amongst other things!) at classicaltv.com. You might now want to look at my overviews of other Beethoven symphonies:

Question: What was Beethoven's last symphony?
Answer: 9th