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Beethoven Unleashed: How to Play Beethoven

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

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

During Beethoven鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 life and music throughout 2020. Part of Radio 3鈥檚 Beethoven Unleashed season marking the 250th anniversary of Beethoven鈥檚 birth.

Music Featured:
Symphony No 6 in F, Op 68 鈥淧astoral鈥 (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 鈥淐horal鈥 (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 鈥 Allegro vivace)
Symphony No 3 in E flat, Op 55 鈥淓roica鈥 (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 鈥淕host鈥 (Largo assai ed espressivo)
Fantasia in C minor, Op 80
Horn Sonata, Op 17
Symphony No 3 in E flat, Op 55 鈥淓roica鈥 (Scherzo)
Sextet in E flat, Op 81b (Rondo)
Symphony No 9 in D minor, Op 125 鈥淐horal鈥 (Adagio molto e cantabile)

Presented by Donald Macleod
Produced by Luke Whitlock for 主播大秀 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 /programmes/m000m06v

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

Release date:

Available now

1 hour, 34 minutes

Podcast