Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21
Recommended recording: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig / Riccardo Chailly
The
work was premiered on the 2nd of April 1800 at the Imperial Court Theatre in Vienna.London performances
- Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra / Kirill Karabits - Conductor, Royal Albert Hall, 7-Aug-2017 / 19:30
- Die Frau ohne Schatten by Strauss, Prokofiev's Seven, They Are Seven and Walton's Belshazzar's Feast were they other works performed. Soloists on the night were David Butt Philip and James Rutherford while National Youth Choir of Great Britain was also used.
Symphony No. 5 in C minor Op. 67
Recommended recording
Vienna Philharmonic / Carlos Kleiber
The
symphony received its premiere on 8 December 1813 in Vienna at a charity concert for soldiers wounded in the Battle of Hanau. The program on that evening also included Wellington's Victory composed by Beethoven to commemorate the Duke's victory over Bonaparte at the Battle of Vitoria in Spain.London performances
- City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal Albert Hall, 21-Aug-2017 / 19:30
- Beethoven's Leonore Overture, Gerald Barry's Canada and Stravinsky's Violin Concerto are the other pieces performed. Tenor Allan Clayton and violinist Leila Josefowicz are the soloists while the baton is yielded Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla.
London performances
- Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Cadogan Hall, 5-Jul-2016 / 19:30
- Elgar's Introduction and Allegro and Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5 (Turkish) were the other works performed on the night with Pinchas Zukerman conducting and playing the violin solo parts.
Symphony No. 7 in A major Op. 92
Recommended recording
Vienna Philharmonic / Carlos Kleiber
The
opening of this symphony is most recognisable of any orchestral work and appears in many different guises in popular culture.London performances
- Vienna Philharmonic, Royal Albert Hall, 8-Sep-2017 / 19:30
- Brahms' Variations on the St Anthony Chorale 18’ and Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 14 23’ with Emanuel Ax as the soloist where the other piece performed under the baton of Michael Tilson Thomas.
London performances
- Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Festival Hall, 7-Feb-2017 / 19:30
- Beethoven's Egmont Overture and Violin Concerto were the other works performed on the day with Pinchas Zukerman conducting and playing the violin solo parts.
Symphony No. 9 in D minor Op. 125
Recommended recording Berliner Philharmoniker / Herbert von Karajan
The
Symphony No. 9 also known as 'the Choral', is Beethoven's final complete symphony.Nicholas Cook states: “Of all the works in the mainstream repertory of Western music, the Ninth Symphony seems the most like a construction of mirrors, reflecting and refracting the values, hopes, and fears of those who seek to understand and explain it … From its first performance up to the present day, the Ninth Symphony has inspired diametrically opposed interpretations”
London performances
- London Philharmonic Choir, Royal Festival Hall, 6-May-2017 / 19:30
- Magnus Lindberg: Two Episodes was the other piece performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Christoph Eschenbach.
- Soloist: Susanna Hurrell - Soprano, Justina Gringyte - Mezzo-soprano, David Butt Philip - Tenor, Jihoon Kim - Bass
- Cardiff Ardwyn Singers and Cardiff Polyphonic Choir , Cadogan Hall, 31-Mar-2017 / 19:30
- Beethoven's Symphony No. 1 was the other piece performed by the Dresden Philharmonic.
- Philharmonia Chorus , Royal Festival Hall, 18-Mar-2017 / 19:30
- Beethoven's Coriolan Overture and Piano Concerto No.3 were the other pieces performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra.
- London Philharmonic Choir and National Arts Centre Orchestra, Royal Festival Hall, 27-Oct-2014 / 19:30
- Bach's Erbarme dich, mein Gott from St. Matthew Passion and Malcolm Forsyth's A Ballad of Canada for chorus & orchestra were other works performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Pinchas Zukerman. Lisa Milne - Soprano, Patricia Bardon - Mezzo-soprano, Barry Banks - Tenor and David Stout - Bass sang the solo parts accompanied by the London Philharmonic Choir.
Piano Sonata No 8 Op 13 (Pathetique)
Recommended recording
Emil Gilels
The
publisher named the sonata Grande sonate pathétique, a title Beethoven approved of, and published the work in 1799 a year after Beethoven wrote the piece.London performances
Cello Sonata No. 3 in A major Op. 69
Recommended recording
Xavier Phillips and François-Frédéric Guy
The
third cello concerto was another of Beethoven's musical innovations. All themes are wonderfully balanced for both the Cello and the Piano.London performances
Adelaide Op. 46
Recommended recording
John Mark Ainsley
Translated text:
- Your friend wanders alone in the garden of spring,
- Gently bathed in lovely magical light,
- Which shimmers through the swaying branches of flowers:
- Adelaide!
- In the reflection of the river, in the snows of the Alps,
- In the golden clouds of sinking day,
- In the fields of stars thy face beams forth,
- Adelaide!
- Evening breezes whisper through the tender leaves
- The silver bells at Maytime rustle in the grass,
- Waves roar and nightingales sing,
- Adelaide!
- Some day, o miracle! a flower will blossom,
- Upon my grave from the ashes of my heart;
- And clearly on every violet petal will shine:
- Adelaide!
London performances
- David Daniels countertenor, Wigmore Hall, 20-Mar-2017 / 19:30
- Some traditional songs and other works by Purcell, Britten and Handel were also performed on the night.
