Episodes

  • Symphony No. 9: A Joyous Epic

    Symphony No. 9: A Joyous Epic
    Dec 3 2015
    Its power and sheer ambition influenced and intimidated scores of composers who followed Beethoven.
    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
  • Symphony No. 8: A Musical Look Back

    Symphony No. 8: A Musical Look Back
    Nov 25 2015
    A fun, almost comical, moment before Beethoven stepped away from the symphony for a decade and wrote his ultimate triumph.
    Show More Show Less
    16 mins
  • Symphony No. 7: Rhythm And Restlessness

    Symphony No. 7: Rhythm And Restlessness
    Nov 20 2015
    Ludwig van Beethoven's Seventh Symphony pulses with rhythmic invention. The reliance on the beat gives the piece an immediacy that rivals the music in any of Beethoven's symphonies.
    Show More Show Less
    14 mins
  • Symphony No. 6: A Walk In The Country

    Symphony No. 6: A Walk In The Country
    Nov 13 2015
    Ludwig van Beethoven followed his percussive, brooding Fifth Symphony with an ode to nature. Yet Symphony No. 6 is more than just a summer stroll.
    Show More Show Less
    17 mins
  • Symphony No. 5: Four Indelible Notes

    Symphony No. 5: Four Indelible Notes
    Nov 7 2015
    It's one of the most famous musical passages ever written. Ludwig van Beethoven starts his Fifth Symphony with four percussive notes, then spends the next four movements inventing new ways to make them sing.
    Show More Show Less
    17 mins
  • Symphony No. 4: Unfairly Overlooked

    Symphony No. 4: Unfairly Overlooked
    Oct 31 2015
    Symphony No. 4 is more direct than the groundbreaking "Eroica" but still has many moments of brilliance. It's a crowd-pleaser.
    Show More Show Less
    16 mins
  • Symphony No. 3: Dedicated To ‘The Memory Of A Great Man’

    Symphony No. 3: Dedicated To ‘The Memory Of A Great Man’
    Oct 31 2015
    With the "Eroica," Ludwig van Beethoven expanded the idea of what a symphony could be. The man who helped inspire the symphony? Napoleon Bonaparte.
    Show More Show Less
    18 mins
  • Symphony No. 2: Desperation and Determination

    Symphony No. 2: Desperation and Determination
    Oct 30 2015
    Ludwig van Beethoven's Second Symphony came at a pivot point in his life. Musically, the composer moved toward the more epic, revolutionary style that would define his later symphonies. Personally, Beethoven sank into despair as his hearing loss worsened.
    Show More Show Less
    15 mins