Beethoven's Symphonies: A Complete Guide

Gramophone
Wednesday, October 21, 2015

The symphonies explored by nine leading conductors: Norrington, Zinman, Jansons, Vänskä, Gardiner, Iván Fischer, Tilson Thomas, Paavo Järvi and Chailly

Beethoven symphonies

Welcome to our guide to our guide to Beethoven's nine symphonies – nine of today's leading conductors offer their unique insights into Beethoven's symphony cycle.

 

Beethoven symphonies

Symphony No 1

By Sir Roger Norrington

'Harmonically, it’s a bit more stable than Haydn, a bit more Romantic, and in some ways more mischievous even, but it’s still a lot "safer" than what Mahler or Elgar did in their first symphonies.'

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Beethoven symphonies

Symphony No 2

By David Zinman

'This is a fabulous, Classical symphony and, I think, a brilliant, virtuoso piece – the kind of piece he had to write in order to move on. The use of development is quite extraordinary.'

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Beethoven symphonies

Symphony No 3

By Mariss Jansons

'Although you can already hear the special Beethoven spirit in the Second, it was the Third that brought a revolutionary change. It marked a complete change of direction for the symphonic repertoire.'

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Beethoven symphonies

Symphony No 4

By Osmo Vänskä

'This is a great piece of music, and even if it had not been written by Beethoven as part of the cycle, I am sure it would have its place in programmes – without help from the other symphonies.'

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Beethoven symphonies

Symphony No 5

By Sir John Eliot Gardiner

'The challenge is to make sure that those three notes sound off the beat, so there’s quite a technique involved in establishing the motto of the symphony.'

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Beethoven symphonies

Symphony No 6

By Iván Fischer

'I have had the opportunity to perform full cycles of the Beethoven symphonies several times and it’s the Sixth Symphony that stands out as an exception'

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Beethoven symphonies

Symphony No 7

By Michael Tilson Thomas

'Beethoven is not programmatic, but his music is always distinctive and recognisable; and always, somehow, he succeeds in examining some different part of us and our nature.'

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Beethoven symphonies

Symphony No 8

By Paavo Järvi

'It is completely wrong to try and play this piece in the style of the Ninth. I have realised that to apologise in any way for the sudden change of character and quirkiness of this piece would diminish it.'

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Beethoven symphonies

Symphony No 9

By Riccardo Chailly

'I still remember like it was yesterday the feeling almost of being guilty, to have had the courage to get close to such a piece as the Ninth Symphony'

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