Beethoven Unleashed: Phoenix Rising

Donald Macleod explores Beethoven's life and music through the years 1813-1815.

This week, Donald Macleod explores Ludwig van Beethoven’s life through the years of 1813-1815 – a time of great change throughout Europe as Napoleon was overthrown. For Beethoven, it was undoubtedly the most successful period of his entire career, as he began, at last, to receive public recognition for his music. However, these years also saw him slump to an artistic nadir as he succumbed to the call for patriotic crowd-pleasers in the wake of this massive political change.

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:

Triumphal March for Kuffner’s Tarpeja, WoO 2a Trio in B flat major, Op 97 “Archduke” ( Allegro Moderato) An die Hoffnung, Op 94 Quartet in C major, Op 59’3 “Razumovsky” (Andante con moto quasi Allegretto) Incidental Music for the Ruins of Athens (Overture - Chorus of Dervishes - March and Chorus ) Symphony No.3 in E flat major, Op 55 “Eroica” – (Marcia Funebre. Adagio Assai) Wellington’s Victory, Op 91 Symphony no. 7 in A major, Op 92 (arr. Winds) (Presto) Symphony no. 8 in F major, Op 93 (Allegretto scherzando - Tempo di menuetto ) Germania, WoO 94 The Ruins of Athens, Op 113 No 7 Symphony no. 8 in F major, Op 93 (Allegro Vivace e con brio) Piano Trio No. 7 in B flat major, Op 97 “Archduke” – (Scherzo - Andante cantabile) Fidelio, Op 72 - Overture (arr. Piano by I. Moscheles) Fidelio - Op 72 - Act I No 9 Fidelio, Op 72 - Act I No 10 Leonore Prohaska, WoO.96 Polonaise, Op 89 Cantata: Der Glorreiche Augenblick, Op 136 No 1, 4 & 6 Quartet no.8 Op 59’2 “Rasumovsky” (Allegretto) Piano Sonata no.27, Op 90 Kurz ist der Schmerz, und ewig ist die Freude, WoO163 Brauchle, Lincke, WoO167 Cello sonata no. 5 in D major, Op 102’2 – (Adagio con molto sentimento d'affetto) Piano Concerto no. 6 (fragment, completed by Nicholas Cook and Hermann Dechant) Fidelio, Op 72 Act II No 13

Presented by Donald Macleod

Produced by Sam Phillips for BBC Cymru 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: Phoenix Rising https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000mc2m

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