Beethoven Unleashed - Fate

Series

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

2020

Putting On A Show

20200420

After years of peddling his talents to Vienna's music loving aristocrats, Beethoven prepares to launch his music to the wider public. It's a move that could make or break his reputation.

All this week, Donald Macleod traces Beethoven's story through the years 1799-1801. As he reaches his thirtieth birthday, we see Beethoven finally emerging as a mature composer and beginning to produce the enduring works that will mark him out as one of the great artists of his age. But there are clouds on the horizon too, and we see the first intimations of a serious problem with his hearing.

Composer of the Week is returning to the story of Beethoven's life and music throughout 2020. Part of Radio 3's Beethoven Unleashed season marking the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth.

Piano Concerto No 3, III. Rondo

Igor Levit (piano)

BBC Symphony Orchestra

conducted by Ji?퀀 B?lohlကvek;

Piano Sonata No 10 in G major, Op 14, No 2

Pavel Kolesnikov, piano

Music: Symphony No 1, IV. Adagio - Allegro molto e vivace

BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Thierry Fischer

Septet Op. 20 (movts 4-6)

Vienna Octet

Donald Macleod follows Beethoven as he prepares for his first big public concert in Vienna

2020

The Art Of The Deal

20200421

Beethoven was determined to turn his back on the creative restrictions that came with a salaried post, in the service of one of the royal courts or the church; but if he was to survive as a freelance composer he would have to learn to be a businessman as well as an artist.

Composer of the Week is returning to the story of Beethoven's life and music throughout 2020. Part of Radio 3's Beethoven Unleashed season marking the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth.

Piano Sonata No 13 in Eb major, op 27 No 1, I. Andante

Louis Schwizgebel-Wang, piano

String Quartet Op 18, No 3, I. Allegro, II. Andante con moto)

Calidore Quartet

Piano Sonata No 11 in Bb, Op 22 III. Minuetto & IV. Rondo

Sviatoslav Richter, piano

Violin Sonata Op 23

Aleksey Semenenko, violin

Inna Firsova, piano

Beethoven turns businessman to turn his music into cash. Presented by Donald Macleod.

2020

Creeping Catastrophe

20200422

Beethoven writes to his best friend to tell him a terrible secret; his hearing has been slowly deteriorating and he fears his career may be cut short before it's barely begun.

Composer of the Week is returning to the story of Beethoven's life and music throughout 2020. Part of Radio 3's Beethoven Unleashed season marking the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth.

Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor Op. 13 Pathetique

Khatia Buniatishvili, piano

String Quintet in C, Op 29, II Adagio molto espressivo & IV. Presto

Malin Broman, viola

Elias Quartet

Symphony No.5, IV. Allegro

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Donald Runnicles

Beethoven confides a terrible secret to his best friend. Presented by Donald Macleod.

2020

Colleagues And Rivals

20200423

Donald Macleod explores some of the important professional relationships that Beethoven both enjoyed and endured among musicians who visited Vienna.

Composer of the Week is returning to the story of Beethoven's life and music throughout 2020. Part of Radio 3's Beethoven Unleashed season marking the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth.

Symphony No 3 Eroica', III. Scherzo

BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted Thierry Fischer

Horn Sonata Op 17

Alec Frank-Gemmill, horn

Alasdair Beatson piano

Cello Sonata Op 5 No 2, I. Adagio sostenuto e espressivo & II. Allegro molto più tosto presto

Yo-Yo Ma, cello

Emanuel Ax, piano

Piano Sonata No 15 in D, Op 28 Pastoral', I. Allegro

Tatiana Nikolayeva, piano

Beethoven both enjoyed and endured the company of other musicians. With Donald Macleod.

2020

05 LAST

Public Statements And Private Visions

20200424

Up to now Beethoven had used his musical talents to win the favour of the wealthiest music patrons in Vienna, to charm the public who attended his concerts, and to reel in customers for his publications. He's beginning to see now that his musical path could take him on a very personal journey too. His new challenge is to work out what kind of artist he really wants to be.

Composer of the Week is returning to the story of Beethoven's life and music throughout 2020. Part of Radio 3's Beethoven Unleashed season marking the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth.

Piano Sonata No 14 in C# minor, Op 27 No 2 Moonlight

Louis Schwizgebel-Wang

String Quartet Op 18 No 1, II. Adagio affettuoso ed appassionato

Danish String Quartet

Prometheus (extracts from the complete Ballet Music)

Orchestra of the 18th Century, conducted by Franz Brüggen

Beethoven must decide the right path to follow as he lands another lucrative commission.

Episodes

Series	Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
2020	01	Putting On A Show	20200420	After years of peddling his talents to Vienna's music loving aristocrats, Beethoven prepares to launch his music to the wider public. It's a move that could make or break his reputation. All this week, Donald Macleod traces Beethoven's story through the years 1799-1801. As he reaches his thirtieth birthday, we see Beethoven finally emerging as a mature composer and beginning to produce the enduring works that will mark him out as one of the great artists of his age. But there are clouds on the horizon too, and we see the first intimations of a serious problem with his hearing. Composer of the Week is returning to the story of Beethoven's life and music throughout 2020. Part of Radio 3's Beethoven Unleashed season marking the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth. Piano Concerto No 3, III. Rondo Igor Levit (piano) BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ji?퀀 B?lohlကvek; Piano Sonata No 10 in G major, Op 14, No 2 Pavel Kolesnikov, piano Music: Symphony No 1, IV. Adagio - Allegro molto e vivace BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Thierry Fischer Septet Op. 20 (movts 4-6) Vienna Octet Donald Macleod follows Beethoven as he prepares for his first big public concert in Vienna
2020	02	The Art Of The Deal	20200421	Beethoven was determined to turn his back on the creative restrictions that came with a salaried post, in the service of one of the royal courts or the church; but if he was to survive as a freelance composer he would have to learn to be a businessman as well as an artist. All this week, Donald Macleod traces Beethoven's story through the years 1799-1801. As he reaches his thirtieth birthday, we see Beethoven finally emerging as a mature composer and beginning to produce the enduring works that will mark him out as one of the great artists of his age. But there are clouds on the horizon too, and we see the first intimations of a serious problem with his hearing. Composer of the Week is returning to the story of Beethoven's life and music throughout 2020. Part of Radio 3's Beethoven Unleashed season marking the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth. Piano Sonata No 13 in Eb major, op 27 No 1, I. Andante Louis Schwizgebel-Wang, piano String Quartet Op 18, No 3, I. Allegro, II. Andante con moto) Calidore Quartet Piano Sonata No 11 in Bb, Op 22 III. Minuetto & IV. Rondo Sviatoslav Richter, piano Violin Sonata Op 23 Aleksey Semenenko, violin Inna Firsova, piano Beethoven turns businessman to turn his music into cash. Presented by Donald Macleod.
2020	03	Creeping Catastrophe	20200422	Beethoven writes to his best friend to tell him a terrible secret; his hearing has been slowly deteriorating and he fears his career may be cut short before it's barely begun. All this week, Donald Macleod traces Beethoven's story through the years 1799-1801. As he reaches his thirtieth birthday, we see Beethoven finally emerging as a mature composer and beginning to produce the enduring works that will mark him out as one of the great artists of his age. But there are clouds on the horizon too, and we see the first intimations of a serious problem with his hearing. Composer of the Week is returning to the story of Beethoven's life and music throughout 2020. Part of Radio 3's Beethoven Unleashed season marking the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth. Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor Op. 13 Pathetique Khatia Buniatishvili, piano String Quintet in C, Op 29, II Adagio molto espressivo & IV. Presto Malin Broman, viola Elias Quartet Symphony No.5, IV. Allegro BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Donald Runnicles Beethoven confides a terrible secret to his best friend. Presented by Donald Macleod.
2020	04	Colleagues And Rivals	20200423	Donald Macleod explores some of the important professional relationships that Beethoven both enjoyed and endured among musicians who visited Vienna. All this week, Donald Macleod traces Beethoven's story through the years 1799-1801. As he reaches his thirtieth birthday, we see Beethoven finally emerging as a mature composer and beginning to produce the enduring works that will mark him out as one of the great artists of his age. But there are clouds on the horizon too, and we see the first intimations of a serious problem with his hearing. Composer of the Week is returning to the story of Beethoven's life and music throughout 2020. Part of Radio 3's Beethoven Unleashed season marking the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth. Symphony No 3 Eroica', III. Scherzo BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted Thierry Fischer Horn Sonata Op 17 Alec Frank-Gemmill, horn Alasdair Beatson piano Cello Sonata Op 5 No 2, I. Adagio sostenuto e espressivo & II. Allegro molto più tosto presto Yo-Yo Ma, cello Emanuel Ax, piano Piano Sonata No 15 in D, Op 28 Pastoral', I. Allegro Tatiana Nikolayeva, piano Beethoven both enjoyed and endured the company of other musicians. With Donald Macleod.
2020	05 LAST	Public Statements And Private Visions	20200424	Up to now Beethoven had used his musical talents to win the favour of the wealthiest music patrons in Vienna, to charm the public who attended his concerts, and to reel in customers for his publications. He's beginning to see now that his musical path could take him on a very personal journey too. His new challenge is to work out what kind of artist he really wants to be. All this week, Donald Macleod traces Beethoven's story through the years 1799-1801. As he reaches his thirtieth birthday, we see Beethoven finally emerging as a mature composer and beginning to produce the enduring works that will mark him out as one of the great artists of his age. But there are clouds on the horizon too, and we see the first intimations of a serious problem with his hearing. Composer of the Week is returning to the story of Beethoven's life and music throughout 2020. Part of Radio 3's Beethoven Unleashed season marking the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth. Piano Sonata No 14 in C# minor, Op 27 No 2 Moonlight Louis Schwizgebel-Wang String Quartet Op 18 No 1, II. Adagio affettuoso ed appassionato Danish String Quartet Prometheus (extracts from the complete Ballet Music) Orchestra of the 18th Century, conducted by Franz Brüggen Beethoven must decide the right path to follow as he lands another lucrative commission.