The Beethoven 9

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Music

The Beethoven 9 offers an in-depth exploration of Ludwig van Beethoven's nine symphonies, featuring host Monika Vischer and Beethoven biographer Jan Swafford.

03/12/2015

Symphony No. 9: A Joyous Epic

Its power and sheer ambition influenced and intimidated scores of composers who followed Beethoven.
25/11/2015

Symphony No. 8: A Musical Look Back

A fun, almost comical, moment before Beethoven stepped away from the symphony for a decade and wrote his ultimate triumph.
20/11/2015

Symphony No. 7: Rhythm And Restlessness

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.
13/11/2015

Symphony No. 6: A Walk In The Country

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.
07/11/2015

Symphony No. 5: Four Indelible Notes

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.
31/10/2015

Symphony No. 4: Unfairly Overlooked

Symphony No. 4 is more direct than the groundbreaking "Eroica" but still has many moments of brilliance. It's a crowd-pleaser.
31/10/2015

Symphony No. 3: Dedicated To ‘The Memory Of A Great Man’

With the "Eroica," Ludwig van Beethoven expanded the idea of what a symphony could be. The man who helped inspire the symphony? Napoleon Bonaparte.
30/10/2015

Symphony No. 2: Desperation and Determination

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.
28/10/2015

Symphony No. 1: A Great (But Not Groundbreaking) Start

Ludwig van Beethoven wrote symphonies that introduced new musical ideas, inspired generations of composers and expanded the idea of what a symphony could be. But he started modestly. His First Symphony, written in 1800, pays tribute to his predecessors.

9 Episodes

The Beethoven 9 offers an in-depth exploration of Ludwig van Beethoven's nine symphonies, featuring host Monika Vischer and Beethoven biographer Jan Swafford.