Beethoven Unleashed: The Drawing Room Demon

Donald Macleod follows Beethoven’s progress as he seeks out wealthy Viennese patrons for his music.

This week, Donald Macleod follows Beethoven through the years 1796-99, as the young composer learns to negotiate the privileged and moneyed circles of Vienna’s culture-loving aristocracy. Few can resist his extraordinary charisma as a virtuoso pianist but will he also be able to persuade them of his talents as a composer? In this episode, Beethoven undertakes his first international tour, reluctantly accepts piano students, puts his music before a wider public and starts work on his ambitious first symphony.

Composer of the Week will be returning to the story of Beethoven’s life and music throughout 2020. Part of Radio 3’s Beethoven Unleashed season marking the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth.

Music featured: Piano Sonata No 5 in C minor, Op 10 No 1 Piano Trio Op 1 No 1 March for four hands, Op 45 No 2 12 Variations on a Russian dance by Wranitzky, WoO 71 String Quartet op 18 no 6, mvts. III & IV Piano Sonata No 5 in C minor, Op 10 No 1 Sextet Op 71 Ah! Perfido Cello Sonata Op 5 No 1 Quintet for piano and winds, Op 16 Piano Sonata No 4, Op 7 Violin Sonata, Op 12 No 2 String Quartet, Op 18 No 4 Piano Trio Op 1 No 1 Piano Sonata No 7, Op 10 No 3 Romance in F, Op 50 Duet for two obbligato eye-glasses, Woo 32 String Quartet Op 18 No 1 Violin Sonata, Op 12 No 3 Piano Sonata No 6 in F, Op 10 Zärtliche Liebe, WoO 123 Trio in B flat major, Op 11 Symphony No 1 in C

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Chris Taylor for BBC Wales

For full tracklistings, including artist and recording details, and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after broadcast) head to the series page for Beethoven Unleashed: The Drawing Room Demon https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000gkqk

And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve featured on Composer of the Week here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z