Its power and sheer ambition influenced and intimidated scores of composers who followed Beethoven.

Symphony No. 9: A Joyous Epic

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

Symphony No. 8: A Musical Look Back

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.

Symphony No. 7: Rhythm And Restlessness

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.

Symphony No. 6: A Walk In The Country

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.

Symphony No. 5: Four Indelible Notes

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

Symphony No. 4: Unfairly Overlooked

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

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

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.

Symphony No. 2: Desperation and Determination

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.

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

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

This was a wonderful podcast series which I binged over two days. The host, Monika Vischer, was charming and kept things moving and on point (although how she managed to get through the entire thing without ever actually pronouncing the &#34;t&#34; in &#34;Beethoven&#34; was something of an annoying marvel). The expert guest, Jan Swafford, had an encyclopedic knowledge of both the man and the music; he kept things interesting and was able to present complicated musical concepts in plain English. For instance, he led us through some &#34;comic&#34; elements of the 8th Symphony, which involved explaining technical stuff like key changes in a way that many would find hard to explain, and in the end... I laughed! Highly recommended for neopyhytes and Beethhoven afficianados alike.

Enjoyable and Informative

CPR Classical is a true gem for the rich content and snippets of stories behind the masterful music and the composers who live on for all of us. This Beethoven 9 at 9 is a shining example and nothing short of amazing. I am so glad they made a podcast as I didn&#39;t catch every episode live and is worth listening to again and again.

Sensational

The Beethoven 9

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1 quote, 3 ideas & 1 question from a carefully curated podcast episode.
Every Monday & Wednesday.

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