Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Donald Macleod explores Beethoven’s life through his most iconic works

Beethoven remains one of the most lauded composers in history, famed for both his music, and for his personal triumph as a musician over the adversity of his catastrophic hearing loss. Donald Macleod takes five of Beethoven’s most iconic works, spread out through the composer’s life, and tracks the journey of each of them. Through these stories, Donald discovers both the pieces’ direct importance to the composer, and also finds wider issues which each of them point to in the general life of a complex, and troubled man. From his carefully stage-managed debut on the Viennese scene as a young man, and his steadily increasing anguish at the loss of his hearing, and the betrayal by Napoleon of his political ideals, to the close relationship between Beethoven and his most loyal patron, and the composer’s late credo of joy through suffering which allowed him to continue to flourish artistically despite all of his personal demons.

Music Featured:

Symphony No 7 (IV. Finale) Piano Quartet No 1 in E-flat major, WoO 36 (II. Allegro con spirito) Cantata on death of Emperor Joseph II (I. Todt! Todt!; III. Da kam Joseph) Piano Sonata in C major, Op 2`3 (IV. Allegro Assai) Piano Concerto No 1 in C major, Op 15 (1st movement) The Creatures of Prometheus, Op 43 (Overture) Piano Sonata No 12 in A-flat, Op 26 (III. Funeral march on the death of a hero) Christus am Olberge, Op 85 (III. “Meine seele ist erschuttert”) An die hoffnung, Op 32 Symphony No 3 in E-flat major, Op 55 “Eroica” (I. Allegro con brio) Leonore, Op 72a (original version, 1805), Act I Nr. 12. Finale “O, welche Lust, in freier Luft" Ich bin der Herr von zu, Du bist der Herr von von, WoO 199 Piano Concerto No 4 in G major, Op 58 (III. Rondo) Symphony No 5 in C minor, Op 67 (IV. Allegro) Piano Sonata No 26 in E flat major, Op 81a “Les Adieux” (I. Das lebewohl) Piano Trio in B flat major, Op 97 “Archduke” (I. Allegro Molto) Missa Solemnis in D major, Op 123 (Gloria; Quoniam) Piano Sonata No 29 in Bb major, Op 106 “Hammerklavier” (II. Scherzo) Adelaide, Op 46 Sonata for Cello and Piano in D major, Op 102 An die ferne geliebte, Op 98 Symphony No 8 in F major (IV. Allegro Vivace) Piano Sonata No 29 in Bb major, Op 106 “Hammerklavier” (IV. Largo – Allegro risoluto) Symphony No 9 in D minor, Op 125 “Choral” (Finale (excerpt)) Piano Sonata No 32 in C minor, Op 111 (I. Maestoso) Missa Solemnis in D major, Op 123 (Credo: Et Incarnatus Est) Diabelli variations in C major, Op 120 (excerpt) Grosse Fuge in B flat major, Op 133

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Sam Phillips for BBC Audio Wales and West

For full track listings, 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 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001rr0t

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