Beethoven Unleashed: How to Play Beethoven

Donald Macleod meets professional musicians to get the performer’s eye view of Beethoven.

During Beethoven’s life, great technical advances were being made to musical instruments such as the keyboard and the horn. It was also a period when virtuoso musicians of all kinds began to tour Europe and Beethoven was able to meet some of the greatest exponents of different instruments and learn from them. He was inspired to push the limits of his performers as never before, and his works continue to fascinate and challenge musicians today. In this episode, Donald Macleod meets with different professional musicians to get a performer's eye view of Beethoven’s music and the challenges it presents.

Guests: Chi-chi Nwanoku (double bass), Rachel Nicholls (soprano), Adrian Bending (timpani), Ronald Brautigam (fortepiano), Sarah Willis (French horn). Composer of the Week is 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: Symphony No 6 in F, Op 68 “Pastoral” (Donner. Sturm) Symphony No 7 in A, Op 92 (Allegro con brio) Septet in E flat, Op 20 (Scherzo) Symphony No 9 in D minor, Op 125 “Choral” (Presto) Fidelio, Act 1 No 1-3 Fidelio, Act 2 No 12 Fidelio, Act 2 No 14-15 Missa Solemnis, Op 123 (Agnus Dei) Violin Concerto in D, Op 61 (excerpt) Symphony No 4 in B flat, Op 60 (Adagio – Allegro vivace) Symphony No 3 in E flat, Op 55 “Eroica” (Marcia funebre) Symphony No 5 in C minor, Op 67 (Allegro & Allegro - Presto) Piano Sonata No 13 in E flat, Op 27 No 1 (Andante) Concerto No 3 in C minor, Op 37 (Largo) Piano Trio No 5 in D, Op 70 No 1 “Ghost” (Largo assai ed espressivo) Fantasia in C minor, Op 80 Horn Sonata, Op 17 Symphony No 3 in E flat, Op 55 “Eroica” (Scherzo) Sextet in E flat, Op 81b (Rondo) Symphony No 9 in D minor, Op 125 “Choral” (Adagio molto e cantabile)

Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Luke Whitlock 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: How to Play Beethoven https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000m06v

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