Writing for Eternity

They have been described as “the most sublime noise that has ever penetrated into the ear of man”, “an expression of monumental intellect and innermost feeling”, and “music [which] sets in motion the machinery of awe, of fear, of terror, of pain.” There is no question that Beethoven’s nine symphonies changed music forever. The colossal legacy of these works has hovered over generations of composers since, leading Johannes Brahms to exclaim: “You can't have any idea what it's like always to hear such a giant marching behind you!”

Over this week of programmes, Donald Macleod is joined by conductor John Eliot Gardiner, founder of the Monteverdi Choir and the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, to delve into the world of these nine sublime works.

In Tuesday’s programme, they explore Beethoven’s monumental Third Symphony, ‘Eroica’, which was originally dedicated to Napoleon Bonaparte, and the greatly contrasting symphony that followed it – Beethoven’s Fourth.

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.

Producer: Sam Phillips