Watch & Listen
Pre-Concert Talk: Beethoven Symphony No. 3
Music Director, Christian Kluxen shares his thoughts in this pre-concert talk video on Beethoven's Symphony No. 3.
Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 55 “Eroica” Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Adagio molto – Allegro con brio Larghetto Scherzo: Allegro Allegro molto Beethoven’s “Eroica” symphony has become something of a milestone in the transition from the Classical to the Romantic eras in musical history. The earliest sketches date from his troubled days in Heiligenstadt, but the public premiere was given on April 7, 1805. It was longer, more complex, and technically challenging than what was commonly expected. Beethoven aimed at providing more than mere entertainment. He added the title “Eroica,” declaring it as being for “an unknown hero,” and the symphony stands strikingly on its own as a monument to man’s finest aspirations. The “heroic” qualities on display are testament to Beethoven’s determination to strike out on a new path.