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The Congress of Vienna brings some 100,000 rich foreigners including emperors and empresses to the city. Donald Macleod finds Beethoven well poised to take advantage

The Congress of Vienna brings some 100,000 rich foreigners including emperors and empresses to the city. Donald Macleod explores this extraordinary event and finds Beethoven at the height of his popularity and well poised to take advantage, despite his dislike for the pomp of the noble classes.

This week, Donald Macleod explores Ludwig van Beethoven鈥檚 life through the years of 1813-1815 鈥 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.

Fidelio, Op 72 - Act I 鈥淟eb wohl, du warmes Sonnenlicht鈥
Charlotte Margiono (Leonore)
L谩szl贸 Polg谩r (Rocco)
Sergei Leiferkus (Pizarro)
Barbara Bonney (Marzelline)
Deon van der Walt (Jaquino)
Schoenberg Choir
Chamber Orchestra of Europe
Nikolaus Harnoncourt (conductor)

Leonore Prohaska, WoO.96
Sylvia McNair (soprano)
Karoline Eichhorn (speaker)
Rundfunkchor Berlin
Berlin Philharmonic
Claudio Abbado (conductor)

Polonaise, Op 89
Alessio Bax (piano)

Cantata: Der Glorreiche Augenblick, Op 136 - 鈥淓uropa steht!鈥; 鈥淒as Auge Shaut鈥; 鈥淓s treten hervor鈥
Matilde Wallevik (mezzo-soprano)
Peter Hoare (tenor)
Stephen Gadd (baritone)
Claire Rutter (soprano)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Westminster Boys' Choir
Westminster Abbey Choir
City of London Choir
Hilary Davan Wetton (conductor)

Quartet no.8 Op 59鈥2 鈥淩asumovsky鈥 - III. Allegretto
Emerson String Quartet

Producer: Sam Phillips for 麻豆约拍 Cymru Wales

59 minutes

Music Played

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Fidelio, Act I: "Leb wohl, du warmes Sonnenlicht"

    Singer: Charlotte Margiono. Singer: Peter Seiffert. Singer: L谩szl贸 Polg谩r. Singer: Sergei Petrovich Leiferkus. Singer: Barbara Bonney. Singer: Deon van der Walt. Singer: Bo Skovhus. Singer: Reinaldo Macias. Singer: Robert Florianschutz. Choir: Arnold Schoenberg Chor. Orchestra: Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Conductor: Nikolaus Harnoncourt.
    • TELDEC : 4509945602.
    • TELDEC.
    • 13.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Leonore Prohaska, WoO 96

    Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • DG : 479-464 2.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 1.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Polonaise in C major, Op 89

    Performer: Alessio Bax.
    • SIGNUM : SIGCD-525.
    • SIGNUM.
    • 16.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Der glorreiche Augenblick, Op 136 (excerpt)

    Singer: Matilde Wallevik. Singer: Peter Hoare. Singer: Stephen Gadd. Singer: Claire Rutter. Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Choir: Westminster Cathedral Choir. Choir: Choir of Westminster Abbey. Choir: City of London Choir. Conductor: Hilary Davan Wetton.
    • NAXOS : 8.572783.
    • NAXOS.
    • 1.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    String Quartet in E minor, Op 59 No 2 "Rasumovsky" (3rd mvt)

    Ensemble: Emerson String Quartet.
    • DG 4778649.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 7.

Broadcast

  • Thu 10 Sep 2020 12:00

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