Music #346 - Beethoven - Symphonies

Ludwig van Beethoven  

(1770 – 1827)

  @ the Münsterplatz in Bonn,
Beethoven's birthplace

Symphony No.3 

- aka the "Eroica" (Italian for "heroic") in E flat

- originally dedicated to Napoleon, until his coronation

* Mvt.1 Allegro con brio
* Mvt.2 Marcia funebre: Adagio assai
* Mvt.3 Scherzo: Allegro vivace
* Mvt.4 Finale: Allegro molto

(L) a full concert

 

(R) the monumental finale 

- superb craftsmanship

Symphony No.5  

- aka "Beethoven's Fifth" 

 

* Mvt 1 - Allegro con brio 

* Mvt 2 - Andante con moto 

* Mvt 3 - Scherzo. Allegro 

* Mvt 4 - Allegro

 

Symphony No.6  

- aka "the Pastoral Symphony" 

 

* Mvt 1 - Allegro ma non troppo (awakening of cheerful feelings on arrival in the countryside)

* Mvt 2 - Andante molto mosso (by the brook)

* Mvt 3 - Allegro (merry gathering of country folk)

* Mvt 4 - Allegro (thunder, storm)

* Mvt 5 - Allegretto (shepherd's song, cheerful and thankful feelings after the storm)

Symphony No.7 

* Mvt 1 - Poco sostenuto – vivace (in A)

* Mvt 2 - Allegretto (in a)  - digital  - piano solo  - piano duo  - piano trio  - guitar quartet  - guitar solo

* Mvt 3 - Presto (in F) – Assai meno presto (trio in D)

* Mvt 4 - Allegro con brio (in A)

(L) a full concert

 

(R)  Mvt 2 adapted as background music in

 The King's Speech (2010 movie)

Mvt 2 - digital piano solo

 

Symphony No.9  

- aka "Beethoven's Ninth" / "Choral" /

* Mvt 1 - Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso 

* Mvt 2 - Scherzo: Molto vivace – Presto 

* Mvt 3 - Adagio molto e cantabile 

* Mvt 4 - Recitative etc. 

In mvt 4, a choral (“Ode to Joy”) is added, hitherto unprecedented to a symphony.

(L)  "Symphony No.9"

- excerpts from Copying Beethoven (2006 movie)

Totally deaf then, he conducts as his pretty student (from a nunnery) signals underground or understage.

 

(R)  "Ode to Joy"

- excerpts from Immortal Beloved (1994 movie)

Beethoven, then deaf, did not hear the audience applause, 

but was absorbed in recalling his hostile father, 

who used to beat the hell out of him (and box his ears).

The European Union

Ode to Joy:

* A huge choir of 10,000 singers

* On wine glasses!

* The Muppets!

* Mr. Bean
* flashmob for Bank Sabadell

* The European Union anthem  

Note:
Kosovo and Rhodesia also adopt it as their national anthems!!   

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Most beautiful passages 

of each Beethoven symphony (1-9)