Beethoven Unleashed - Restless Spirit

Series

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

2020

Frustrated Ambitions

20200713

Beethoven is seeking financial stability in Vienna and making further attempts to find love. However, nothing goes quite to plan.

This week, Donald Macleod explores Ludwig van Beethoven's life through the years 1807-1809. This was a period that ended with the traumatic second occupation of Vienna by Napoleon's forces, and a time when Beethoven himself was feeling increasingly restless in the city after his plans to gain financial stability were thwarted.

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.

Coriolan Overture, Op 62

Chamber Orchestra of Europe

Nikolaus Harnoncourt, conductor

Mass in C major, Op 86 (Credo & Agnus Dei)

London Symphony Orchestra

Sir Colin Davis, conductor

Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op 57 `Appassionata` (III. Allegro ma non troppo - Presto)

Alfred Brendel, piano

Producer: Sam Phillips

Donald Macleod explores Beethoven through the years 1807-1809

2020

Moving Homes

20200714

It is estimated that Beethoven lived in between 60 and 80 different houses in Vienna, In Tuesday's programme, Donald Macleod explores these various house moves, asking whether they might be a symptom of his dissatisfaction with the city he had come to call home.

This week, Donald explores Ludwig van Beethoven's life through the years 1807-1809. This was a period that ended with the traumatic second occupation of Vienna by Napoleon's forces, and a time when Beethoven himself was feeling increasingly restless in the city after his plans to gain financial stability were thwarted.

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.

Lob auf de Dicken, WoO 100

Accentus

Quartet in E minor, Op 59 No 2 `Rasumovsky` (IV. Presto)

Quatuor Ebene

Elegischer Gesang, Op 118

Collegium Musicum 90 Chorus

Richard Hickox, conductor

Symphony No 6 in F major, Op 68 `Pastoral Symphony` (1st and 2nd movements)

Gewandhaus Orchester Leipzig

Riccardo Chailly, conductor

Piano trio in D major, Op 70 No 1 `Ghost` (2nd movement)

Amatis Trio

Six Goethe Songs, Op 75 No 6 (Der Zufriedene)

Matthias Goerne, baritone

Alexander Schmalcz, piano

Producer: Sam Phillips

Donald Macleod explores Beethoven through the years 1807-1809

2020

A Haughty Beauty

20200715

In the wake of his failure to secure a potentially lucrative permanent role, Donald Macleod examines how Beethoven made money during this period exploring, among other things, his business dealings with publishers including Muzio Clementi.

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.

3 Songs, Op 83 No 3 (Mit einem gemalten Band)

Olaf B䀀r, baritone

Geoffrey Parsons, piano

Mass in C major, Op 86 (Gloria)

Genia Kühmeier, soprano

Gerhild Romberger, alto

Maximilian Schmitt, tenor

Luca Pisaroni, bass-baritone

Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks

Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks

Mariss Jansons, conductor

Piano Transcription of Violin Concerto, Op 61a (III. Rondo)

Ronald Brautigam, piano

Norrkoping Symphony Orchestra

Andrew Parrott, conductor

Cello Sonata No 3 in A major, Op 69 (1st movement)

Ralph Kirschbaum, cello

Shai Wosner, piano

Symphony No 5 in C minor, Op 67 (1st movement)

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Donald Runnicles, conductor

In questa tomba oscura, WoO 133

Benjamin Appl, baritone

Graham Johnson, piano

Producer: Sam Phillips

Donald Macleod explores Beethoven through the years 1807-1809.

2020

Settling Down

20200716

Donald Macleod finds Beethoven seemingly ready to settle down as he is awarded the benefit concert he so badly wanted, but a new job offer means he had a choice to make. Will he stay in Vienna or go somewhere else entirely?

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.

3 Songs, Op 83 No (Wonne der Wehmut)

Robin Tritschler, tenor

Julius Drake, piano

Choral Fantasy, Op 80

Martha Argerich, piano

Choir of Radiotelevisione Svizzera

Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana

Diego Fasolis, conductor

Piano Concerto No 4 in G major, Op 58 (3rd movement)

Cedric Tiberghien, piano

BBC Natioal Orchestra of Wales

Grant Llewellyn, conductor

Piano Sonata No 24 in F sharp major, Op 78 `

2020

05 LAST

War

20200717

Donald Macleod explores how Beethoven coped with the escalating war between the Austrian and the French, and with Napoleon's second occupation of Vienna in 1809.

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.

March for Military Music, WoO 18

Berlin Philharmonic Wind Ensemble

Herbert von Karajan, conductor

Piano Sonata No 26 in E flat major, Op 81a `Les adieux` (1st movement)

Emil Gilels, piano

Incidental Music to Egmont, Op 84 (1. Die Trommel geruhet; 2. Entr'acte I - Andante; 7. Cl䀀rchen's Death; 9. Symphony of Victory)

Orchestra of St Lukes

Dennis Russell Davies, conductor

Piano Concerto No 5 in E flat major, Op 73 'Emperor` (1st movement)

Myra Hess, piano

BBC Symphony Orchestra

Malcolm Sargent, conductor

Sehnsucht, WoO 134

Ann Murray, soprano

Iain Burnside, piano

Producer: Sam Phillips

Donald Macleod explores Beethoven through the years 1807-1809.

Episodes

Series	Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
2020	01	Frustrated Ambitions	20200713	Beethoven is seeking financial stability in Vienna and making further attempts to find love. However, nothing goes quite to plan. This week, Donald Macleod explores Ludwig van Beethoven's life through the years 1807-1809. This was a period that ended with the traumatic second occupation of Vienna by Napoleon's forces, and a time when Beethoven himself was feeling increasingly restless in the city after his plans to gain financial stability were thwarted. 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. Coriolan Overture, Op 62 Chamber Orchestra of Europe Nikolaus Harnoncourt, conductor Mass in C major, Op 86 (Credo & Agnus Dei) London Symphony Orchestra Sir Colin Davis, conductor Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op 57 `Appassionata` (III. Allegro ma non troppo - Presto) Alfred Brendel, piano Producer: Sam Phillips Donald Macleod explores Beethoven through the years 1807-1809
2020	02	Moving Homes	20200714	It is estimated that Beethoven lived in between 60 and 80 different houses in Vienna, In Tuesday's programme, Donald Macleod explores these various house moves, asking whether they might be a symptom of his dissatisfaction with the city he had come to call home. This week, Donald explores Ludwig van Beethoven's life through the years 1807-1809. This was a period that ended with the traumatic second occupation of Vienna by Napoleon's forces, and a time when Beethoven himself was feeling increasingly restless in the city after his plans to gain financial stability were thwarted. 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. Lob auf de Dicken, WoO 100 Accentus Quartet in E minor, Op 59 No 2 `Rasumovsky` (IV. Presto) Quatuor Ebene Elegischer Gesang, Op 118 Collegium Musicum 90 Chorus Richard Hickox, conductor Symphony No 6 in F major, Op 68 `Pastoral Symphony` (1st and 2nd movements) Gewandhaus Orchester Leipzig Riccardo Chailly, conductor Piano trio in D major, Op 70 No 1 `Ghost` (2nd movement) Amatis Trio Six Goethe Songs, Op 75 No 6 (Der Zufriedene) Matthias Goerne, baritone Alexander Schmalcz, piano Producer: Sam Phillips Donald Macleod explores Beethoven through the years 1807-1809
2020	03	A Haughty Beauty	20200715	In the wake of his failure to secure a potentially lucrative permanent role, Donald Macleod examines how Beethoven made money during this period exploring, among other things, his business dealings with publishers including Muzio Clementi. This week, Donald explores Ludwig van Beethoven's life through the years 1807-1809. This was a period that ended with the traumatic second occupation of Vienna by Napoleon's forces, and a time when Beethoven himself was feeling increasingly restless in the city after his plans to gain financial stability were thwarted. 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. 3 Songs, Op 83 No 3 (Mit einem gemalten Band) Olaf B䀀r, baritone Geoffrey Parsons, piano Mass in C major, Op 86 (Gloria) Genia Kühmeier, soprano Gerhild Romberger, alto Maximilian Schmitt, tenor Luca Pisaroni, bass-baritone Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks Mariss Jansons, conductor Piano Transcription of Violin Concerto, Op 61a (III. Rondo) Ronald Brautigam, piano Norrkoping Symphony Orchestra Andrew Parrott, conductor Cello Sonata No 3 in A major, Op 69 (1st movement) Ralph Kirschbaum, cello Shai Wosner, piano Symphony No 5 in C minor, Op 67 (1st movement) BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra Donald Runnicles, conductor In questa tomba oscura, WoO 133 Benjamin Appl, baritone Graham Johnson, piano Producer: Sam Phillips Donald Macleod explores Beethoven through the years 1807-1809.
2020	04	Settling Down	20200716	Donald Macleod finds Beethoven seemingly ready to settle down as he is awarded the benefit concert he so badly wanted, but a new job offer means he had a choice to make. Will he stay in Vienna or go somewhere else entirely? This week, Donald explores Ludwig van Beethoven's life through the years 1807-1809. This was a period that ended with the traumatic second occupation of Vienna by Napoleon's forces, and a time when Beethoven himself was feeling increasingly restless in the city after his plans to gain financial stability were thwarted. 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. 3 Songs, Op 83 No (Wonne der Wehmut) Robin Tritschler, tenor Julius Drake, piano Choral Fantasy, Op 80 Martha Argerich, piano Choir of Radiotelevisione Svizzera Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana Diego Fasolis, conductor Piano Concerto No 4 in G major, Op 58 (3rd movement) Cedric Tiberghien, piano BBC Natioal Orchestra of Wales Grant Llewellyn, conductor Piano Sonata No 24 in F sharp major, Op 78 `
2020	05 LAST	War	20200717	Donald Macleod explores how Beethoven coped with the escalating war between the Austrian and the French, and with Napoleon's second occupation of Vienna in 1809. This week, Donald explores Ludwig van Beethoven's life through the years 1807-1809. This was a period that ended with the traumatic second occupation of Vienna by Napoleon's forces, and a time when Beethoven himself was feeling increasingly restless in the city after his plans to gain financial stability were thwarted. 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. March for Military Music, WoO 18 Berlin Philharmonic Wind Ensemble Herbert von Karajan, conductor Piano Sonata No 26 in E flat major, Op 81a `Les adieux` (1st movement) Emil Gilels, piano Incidental Music to Egmont, Op 84 (1. Die Trommel geruhet; 2. Entr'acte I - Andante; 7. Cl䀀rchen's Death; 9. Symphony of Victory) Orchestra of St Lukes Dennis Russell Davies, conductor Piano Concerto No 5 in E flat major, Op 73 'Emperor` (1st movement) Myra Hess, piano BBC Symphony Orchestra Malcolm Sargent, conductor Sehnsucht, WoO 134 Ann Murray, soprano Iain Burnside, piano Producer: Sam Phillips Donald Macleod explores Beethoven through the years 1807-1809.