Beethoven - Symphony No.9 (10000 Japanese) - Freude schöner Götterfunken

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN The man and the artist

 

Beethoven’s life presents a sharp contrast to his music; where he was often impatient, abrupt, and even careless in everyday matters, his approach to music was marked by profound patience and careful brooding. Although his personal life was frequently distracted and melancholic, his music conveys a sadness that is noble and universal, never mere despair. As a political revolutionist and social rebel, he rejected conformity, yet in his music, he respected traditional forms, choosing to expand rather than discard them. His extempore playing was audacious, yet in his written compositions, Beethoven was cautious and meticulously selective.

Beethoven’s sketchbooks—more than fifty of which were found after his death—are a testament to his slow and careful creative process. These books, filled with musical ideas and repeated revisions, reveal the germination of themes from simple beginnings into the artistic designs of his final compositions. Grove notes that each elaboration brought spontaneity, making them “perhaps the most remarkable relic” of any artist. Beethoven worked simultaneously on multiple compositions and often kept themes in mind for years. Nottebohm, author of Beethoveniana, speculated that had Beethoven completed all the symphonies outlined in these books, there would be at least fifty. His creative process involved relentless revision until each phrase expressed exactly the emotions he sought.

Though outside events occasionally influenced his music—as with the Eroica Symphony—his work was largely independent of his personal experiences. A profound example of this detachment is seen in the Second Symphony, composed in 1802, the same year Beethoven wrote the “Heiligenstadt Will.” In this document, born from his despair over his worsening health and incurable deafness, Beethoven poured out his anguish over his unhappiness and isolation, sentiments not reflected in the lively Second Symphony he composed simultaneously.

Beethoven’s anguish over his deafness and isolation was powerfully conveyed in his Heiligenstadt Will, written in 1802. He described himself as living in "exile," gripped by anxiety whenever near others, fearing his condition would be noticed. He confessed that at times he considered ending his life but was restrained by his dedication to art: "It seemed as if I could not quit this earth until I had produced all I felt within me." He expressed a desperate wish to experience "just one pure day of joy", yearning to feel true happiness once more.

This despair, however, was absent from the music he composed that same year, particularly the Second Symphony, where Beethoven’s artistic voice triumphed over his personal sorrow. Critics observe that this symphony radiates joy and strength. "The scherzo is as proudly gay… the andante is completely happy and tranquil… for everything is smiling in this symphony," showcasing Beethoven’s noble heart and the unblemished illusions of life that he preserved in his music.

There were rare periods, notably from 1808 to 1811 during his relationship with Therese Malfatti and again after his brother’s death in 1815, when personal struggles silenced his creativity. Yet, despite lifelong battles with sickness, financial strain, and heartbreak—including the turmoil caused by his nephew—these hardships rarely penetrated his music. The “Eroica” Symphony might reflect an emotional response, but more often, Beethoven’s compositions served as a refuge and defense against grief. His music was a shelter from sorrow, a fortress that shielded him from life’s woes, allowing him to transcend his trials through art.

This is Why Beethoven's Symphony No.5 Is So Incredibly Popular

In this episode of Classical Insight: Piece by Piece, we dive into Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, one of the most famous and powerful works in classical music history. From the unforgettable opening four-note motif—da-da-da-dum—to its triumphant finale, this symphony is a testament to Beethoven’s genius. We explore the symphony’s revolutionary structure, its dramatic themes of struggle and victory, and the enduring cultural impact of the ‘Fate’ motif. Discover how Beethoven transformed classical music, shaping the course of musical history with this groundbreaking symphony. Whether you're new to classical music or a seasoned listener, this episode will deepen your appreciation of Beethoven’s masterpiece. 🔑 Key topics covered: 00:00 Introduction 00:33 The famous ‘Fate’ motif and its significance 01:03 What is a Symphony? 01:46 Historical Context of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 -Beethoven’s life and struggles during the composition 02:34 Musical Analysis: Structure and Themes 02:45 Musical analysis of each movement -First Movement: Allegro con brio 03:57 Musical analysis of each movement - Second Movement: Andante con moto 05:11 Musical analysis of each movement - Third Movement: Scherzo – Allegro 06:22 Musical analysis of each movement - Fourth Movement: Allegro 07:48 The symphony’s cultural impact and legacy - Where does 'V for Victory' come from

Ludwig Van Beethoven - Egmont Overture

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Claudio Abbado: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Ludwig Van Beethoven - Egmont, Op. 84 - Overture

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Overture (Recorded 1985)

Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan

Beethoven In Berlin: The New Year's Eve Concert 1991 (Live)

Isabella Colbran: The Tragic Story of Rossini’s Composer Wife

by Emily E. Hogstad, Interlude

Although she and her talents were central to the work of her husband and creative partner Giacomo Rossini, there is no English language biography of Isabella Colbran.

We want to change that. So consider this a basic overview of her story while we wait for a specialized biographer to tell the full story of Isabella Colbran’s extraordinary life!

Early Childhood

Isabella Colbran

Isabella Colbran was born on February 2, 1785, in Madrid, Spain. Her father was Giovanni Colbran, the head musician in Charles III’s court.

She must have shown musical talent at a very early age because when she was only six years old, she began studying music (specifically, voice and composition) with several of the best-known musicians in Spain, including castrati Carlo Martinelli and Girolamo Crescentini. By the time she was fourteen, she had published a book of songs. 

In 1801, when she was sixteen, she moved to Paris with her father and began working in Napoleon’s court. Later, father and daughter traveled throughout Europe, eventually choosing to settle in Italy.

Throughout her twenties, she was one of the most celebrated singers in the world, a favorite of royalty, the aristocracy, and other powerful people alike.

Life in Italy

In 1807, when Colbran was twenty-two, she made her debut at La Scala in Milan. Italy, she found, agreed with her.

That same year, she gave a concert that scholars believe fifteen-year-old Gioachino Rossini likely attended. He was studying music in Bologna at the time, and he almost certainly wouldn’t have passed up the chance to see her.

French writer Stendhal described her as “a beauty of the most imposing sort; with large features that are superb on the stage, magnificent stature, blazing eyes, à la crircassienne, a forest of the most beautiful jet-black hair, and, finally, an instinct for tragedy. As soon as she appeared [on stage] wearing a diadem on her head, she commanded involuntary respect even from people who had just left her in the foyer.”

Life in Naples

Rossini – Elisabetta regina d’Inghilterra – Isabella Colbran as Elisabetta

At the height of her creative power, she made a couple of fateful decisions.

First, she signed a seven-year contract with the Theatro di San Carlo in Naples.

She also embarked on a relationship with the powerful Domenico Barbaia, one of the savviest impresarios in Italy. This helped to guarantee her fame…and crush the local competition, which was never going to compete with Barbaia’s mistress.

In 1815, Barbaia, always on the lookout for new talent, hired Rossini to write an opera about Queen Elizabeth I. The decision would have both personal and professional repercussions. Twenty-three-year-old Gioachino Rossini was just beginning his career as an opera composer, and this was an extraordinary opportunity to write for one of the great voices of her generation. Between 1815 and 1823, he wrote eighteen operas for Colbran: an average of one every six months.

Not surprisingly, given how closely they were working together, sparks flew. Colbran broke things off with Barbaia and committed to Rossini instead. His relationship with her would prove life-changing.

Life With Rossini

In 1820, Colbran and Rossini collaborated on his most daring work yet: an opera called Maometto II, about a real-life Ottoman Sultan from the fifteenth century. 

He made some bold artistic and structural choices. One of them was that toward the end of the opera, Colbran sang for over half an hour, never leaving the stage during that time.

The year was a fraught one, both personally and politically.

First, Colbran’s father died. One sign of how close Rossini and Colbran were at this time was that Rossini bought a cemetery plot for her father. This suggests that he thought of Colbran not as a temporary mistress but as a long-term partner, even if they hadn’t legally wed yet. In his will, Colbran’s father left his daughter a villa outside of Bologna. (This would become important later.)

That same year, there was also an attempted coup against the monarchy in Naples. Political instability in Naples, combined with the failure of his 1819 opera Ermione (a production that, of course, Colbran had starred in), convinced the couple it was time to leave.

Marrying Rossini

In November 1821, Rossini wrote to his father that he and Colbran were engaged.

After the first run of his opera Zelmira in February 1822, Rossini and Colbran traveled to Bologna, where, on 16 March 1822, the two were married in a church outside of town. She was thirty-seven, and he was thirty.

From this point on, Rossini began controlling pretty much every major aspect of Colbran’s life: from the money she had earned during her career to the property she had inherited. This legal and financial powerlessness of married women was common, but it must have been stressful for Colbran to feel her agency dwindling.

That season, Domenico Barbaia decided he wanted to bring the Naples opera company to Vienna. So the newlyweds traveled to Vienna together, and they were a great success. Prince Metternich, a powerful conservative statesman, was a big fan of Rossini’s operas, and six were mounted over the course of three months.

The End of Colbran’s Career

Girolamo Crescentini

However, storm clouds were brewing. Rossini wrote in his letters that Colbran was experiencing stage fright because she felt as if the quality of her voice was deteriorating.

While his wife worried for her career, Rossini threw himself into the Viennese music scene. He heard Beethoven’s Eroica symphony and met with the composer, who implored him to write more comedy…a genre he had largely ignored because Colbran’s strengths lay in drama.

Within months after their marriage, Rossini got to work on another opera for his wife called Semiramide, which premiered in Venice in February 1823. 

Unfortunately, Colbran got bad reviews. As she feared, her voice was indeed deteriorating, and critics and audiences were noticing that she was having more and more trouble staying in tune.

In 1824, her lost voice forced her to retire from the stage for good.

Colbran’s Final Years

In 1830, Rossini’s widowed father moved into the villa that Colbran had inherited. Neither daughter-in-law nor father-in-law was particularly thrilled about this arrangement, but both grit their teeth and bore it.

Meanwhile, Rossini was gone most of the time in Paris, working and dealing with financial issues. He was unfaithful, cheating on his wife multiple times. Eventually he began seeing Parisian courtesan Olympe Pélissier, who evolved into a long-term partner.

He ended up suffering from a bout of gonorrhea, and at some point, Colbran became sick with it, too. Worse, she developed complications. During her illness, with no career to pursue, she sought distraction in gambling, a habit that quickly turned disastrous.

Needing an artistic outlet, she also returned to composing during this time. By the end of her life, she had composed four books of songs, dedicating them to Maria Luisa of Parma, Louise of Baden, Queen of Naples Julie Clary, and her castrato teacher Girolamo Crescentini.

She and Rossini broke up sometime in the 1830s and made their separation official in 1837. That same year, Colbran met Pélissier for the first time. Rossini scholar Denise Gallo writes that Rossini’s wife and mistress developed “a polite relationship.”

However, for what it’s worth, Rossini didn’t entirely abandon Colbran. He paid her money, and even though he was completely emotionally and physically absent, he apparently ensured she had high-quality medical care.

Meanwhile, according to legend, Colbran never fell out of love with her husband.

Colbran’s Death

In August 1845, Rossini heard that his former wife’s health was dangerously bad. In September, he went to the villa with Pélissier to see her for the final time. He emerged from Colbran’s chambers crying. Nobody knows what they said to each other.

After Colbran died on 7 October 1845, he sold her villa, unwilling to ever return. Although he composed intermittently and privately later on, Isabella Colbran’s death coincided with the ceasing of his heretofore productive creative life.

Europe celebrates Beethoven

 

By Thomas Schüle

Professor of Music Management and Musicology at Liceo Conservatory of Music, Theater and Dance

Director, International Relations at INTERKULTUR

Former Vice Director Sales at Staatsoper Stuttgart

I´m off to Vienna to sing Beethoven's 9th with the Vienna Singakademie and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra! 

Tuesday, May 7, 2024, marks the 200th anniversary of the premiere of Beethoven's world-famous Ninth Symphony. ARTE and ORF are taking this as an opportunity for a unique European TV music event and broadcasting the four movements of "the Ninth" live (time-shifted) one after the other from four European cities, interpreted by four top orchestras, each under top-class musical direction. Viewers can experience this extraordinary concert event in front of the TV screen.

The Gewandhaus Orchestra under Andris Nelsons opens the evening in Leipzig with the first movement. It continues with the Orchestre de Paris, which can be heard in the Philharmonie de Paris with the second movement under Klaus Mäkelä. The third movement will be interpreted by Riccardo Chailly conducting the Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala. For the fourth and final movement, ARTE returns to the city of the world premiere, Vienna. The Vienna Symphony Orchestra will perform under Petr Popelka. Exciting!

Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor Op. 37 (Daniel Barenboim )

From the "Concert pour la paix" at Victoria Hall in Geneva, Daniel Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra perform Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor Op. 37. Ludwig van Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Opus 37 00:00 Entrance 00:21 I Allegro con brio 18:08 II Largo 27:58 III Rondo: Allegro Daniel Barenboim - conductor and piano West-Eastern Divan Orchestra

On This Day 5 April: Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 Was Premiered

By Georg Predota, Interlude

Ludwig van Beethoven premiered his Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor on 5 April 1803 in Vienna. The origins of the work, however, date back to the summer of 1800. Escaping the stifling heat of the city, Beethoven habitually spent his summers in the countryside. And in 1800 he took quarters for himself and a servant in a farmhouse in the village of Unter-Döbling, about one hour walk from Vienna City Centre.

The Farmer’s Daughter

Beethoven in 1801

Beethoven’s landlord had a reputation for drunkenness, and for skirting the wrong side of the law. However, he also had a remarkably beautiful daughter, who had also managed to gain a bit of a reputation. A delightful anecdote reports that Beethoven was greatly captivated by her beauty, and made it a habit to stop his walk and gaze at her when she was working in the farmyard or the field. The farmer’s daughter, however, openly laughed at his clumsy advances.

However, the story isn’t quite finished, as the farmer was arrested and imprisoned for fighting in public. Hoping to impress the beautiful daughter, Beethoven went to the magistrate as an eyewitness to obtain his release. However, other witnesses came forward and refuted Beethoven’s telling of events, with the result that the farmer was forced to stay in jail. 

Egyptian Hieroglyphs

Theater an der Wien

Beethoven, it is said, became very angry and abusive and was in danger of being arrested himself. A number of friends came to Beethoven’s aid, and convinced the magistrate of Beethoven’s position in society, his influence, and the power of his aristocratic friends. Having thus escaped jail, Beethoven set to work and drafted parts of a concerto for piano and orchestra in C minor.

And while the inspiration might well have been Beethoven’s infatuation and ultimate rejection by a farmer’s daughter, the work was still unfinished when Beethoven presented it to the public almost three years later. Ignaz von Seyfried, the new conductor at the Theater an der Wien agreed to turn pages for Beethoven, and he reports, “I saw almost nothing but empty leaves,” he wrote, “at most on one page or another a few Egyptian hieroglyphs wholly unintelligible to me and scribbled down to serve as clues for him.”

As Seyfried reports, “Beethoven played nearly all of the solo part from memory since, as was so often the case, he had not had time to put it all down on paper. He gave me a secret glance whenever he was at the end of one of the invisible passages, and my scarcely concealable anxiety not to miss the decisive moment amused him greatly.” It took Beethoven another year to write out the piano part, and the work first appeared in print in 1804. 

First Concerto Maturity

Ignaz von Seyfried

It has been suggested that the C-minor concerto is the first of his five piano concertos that sound like mature Beethoven. But what is more, it also reflects an important advance in piano technology as the range of the instrument had been expanded beyond the standard five-octave span.

The opening “Allegro con brio” pays homage to Mozart’s famous C-minor concerto (K. 491) by imitating the intricate interplay between soloist and orchestra and by launching into a further sparkling development in the coda. Singing with quiet nobility, the piano initiates the “Largo” movement. Imaginative orchestration creates a hushed mood in the remote key of E major and after a magical dialogue between the piano and orchestra, the movements conclude with a typical Beethovenian fortissimo exclamation.

Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 – original score

Less ornate and more muscular, the concluding “Rondo-Allegro” returns us to the minor key, with a pair of principal themes introduced by the soloist. Alternating passages of exuberant humour and blunt drama the movement irresistibly accelerates with the orchestra providing a high-spirited conclusion.