Beethoven Unleashed - Why Beethoven?

Series

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

2020

Beethoven Today

20200113

Donald Macleod launches his year-long focus on Beethoven by asking conductor Marin Alsop and historian Simon Schama why Beethoven's life and work still matter today.

All through 2020, as part of Radio 3's Beethoven Unleashed season, Donald Macleod takes an unprecedented deep dive into the compelling story and extraordinary music of Ludwig van Beethoven. In this uniquely ambitious series, told across 125 episodes of Composer of the Week, Donald puts us inside Beethoven's world and explores his hopes, struggles and perseverance in all the colourful detail this amazing narrative deserves. Alongside this in-depth biography, Donald will also be meeting and talking to Beethoven enthusiasts and experts from across the world to discover how his music continues to speak to us in the twenty-first century. Through story and sound, the series builds into a vivid new portrait of this composer, born 250 years ago this year, who made art that changed how people saw themselves and understood the world.

Bagatelle in A minor (Fur Elise), WoO 59

Lang Lang, piano

String Quartet No 10, Op 74 (Harp) (3rd movement)

Artemis Quartet

Symphony No 3 in E flat major (Eroica) (3rd movement)

Gewandhausorchester Leipzig

Riccardo Chailly, conductor

Grosse Fuge, Op 133

Takacs Quartet

Symphony No 5 in C minor (1st and 2nd movements)

Vienna Philharmonic

Simon Rattle, conductor

Produced by Martin Williams for BBC Wales

Conductor Marin Alsop and historian Simon Schama tell us why Beethoven matters today.

2020

Struggle

20200114

Continuing his conversation with the conductor Marin Alsop and historian Simon Schama, Donald Macleod asks about the centrality of the notion of struggle in relation to Beethoven's life and work.

Symphony No 8 in F major, Op 93 (2nd movement)

Vienna Philharmonic

Simon Rattle, conductor

Sonata in A major, Op 30 No 1 for violin and piano

Gidon Kremer, violin

Martha Argerich, piano

Leonore Overture No 3

Berlin Philharmonic

Herbert von Karajan, conductor

Piano Sonata No 27 in E minor, Op 90 (2nd movement)

Andras Schiff, piano

Piano Concerto No 4 in G major, Op 58 (2nd movement)

Mitsuko Uchida, piano

Produced by Martin Williams for BBC Wales

Marin Alsop and Simon Schama discuss Beethoven and the notion of struggle.

2020

Beethoven's World

20200115

One of the things that makes Beethoven so appealing is that he was a man of his times. And what times they were - times of extraordinary revolution and turmoil. Donald Macleod continues his conversation with the conductor Marin Alsop and historian Simon Schama by asking them about the political and social backdrop to Beethoven's life and work.

All through 2020, Donald Macleod takes an unprecedented deep dive into the compelling story and extraordinary music of Ludwig van Beethoven. In this uniquely ambitious series, told across 125 episodes of Composer of the Week, Donald puts us inside Beethoven's world and explores his hopes, struggles and perseverance in all the colourful detail this amazing narrative deserves. Alongside this in-depth biography, Donald will also be meeting and talking to Beethoven enthusiasts and experts from across the world to discover how his music continues to speak to us in the twenty-first century. Through story and sound, the series builds into a vivid new portrait of this composer, born 250 years ago this year, who made art that changed how people saw themselves and understood the world.

Piano Sonata No 13 in E flat major, Op 27 No 1 (2nd movement)

Paul Lewis, piano

Symphony No 3 in E flat major (Eroica), Op 55 (2nd movement)

New York Philharmonic Orchestra

Leonard Bernstein, conductor

The Creatures of Prometheus: Overture

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

Fidelio: Act II finale

Arnold Schoenberg Choir

Berlin Philharmonic

Simon Rattle, conductor

Symphony No 4 in B flat major, Op 60 (1st movement)

London Symphony Orchestra

Bernard Haitink, conductor

Produced by Martin Williams for BBC Wales

Marin Alsop and Simon Schama join Donald Macleod to discuss Beethoven's world.

2020

Romance And Enlightenment

20200116

Continuing his conversation with the conductor Marin Alsop and the historian Simon Schama, Donald Macleod asks about Beethoven's perspective on the ideas of the enlightenment and the expression of those ideas in his challenging assertion of the primacy of the Artist.

Piano Sonata No 14 (Moonlight), Op 27 No 2 (1st movement)

Glenn Gould, piano

String Quartet in F minor, Op 95 (1st movement)

Hagen Quartet

Egmont Overture, Op 84

London Symphony Orchestra

Wyn Morris, conductor

Symphony No 9 in D major (Choral), Op 125 (IVa. Presto)

Norman Scott, bass

Martina Arroyo, soprano

Nicholas Di Virgilio, tenor

Regina Sarfaty, mezzo-soprano

The Juilliard Chorus

New York Philharmonic Orchestra

Leonard Bernstein, conductor

Symphony No 9 in D major (Choral), Op 125 (IVb. Finale)

Kurt Streit, tenor

Thomas Hampson, baritone

Barbara Bonney, soprano

Birgit Remmert , mezzo-soprano

City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Simon Rattle, conductor

Produced by Martin Williams for BBC Wales

Marin Alsop and Simon Schama join Donald Macleod to discuss Beethoven's ideals.

2020

05 LAST

Late Style

20200117

Marin Alsop and Simon Schama join Donald Macleod to discuss the character and work of Beethoven in the final period of his life.

String Quartet in A minor, Op 132 (5th movement)

Busch Quartet

String Quartet in E flat major, Op 127 (1st movement)

Alban Berg Quartet

Bagatelle in E flat major, Op 126 No 6

Alfred Brendel, piano

Mass in D major (Missa Solemnis), Op 123 (Kyrie)

Collegium Vocale Gent

Orchestre des Champs-Elysees

Philippe Herreweghe, conductor

Coriolan Overture, Op 62

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Herbert von Karajan, conductor

String Quartet in B flat major, Op 130 (5th movement)

Danish String Quartet

Produced by Martin Williams for BBC Wales

Marin Alsop and Simon Schama join Donald Macleod to discuss Beethoven's final years.

Episodes

Series	Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
2020	01	Beethoven Today	20200113	Donald Macleod launches his year-long focus on Beethoven by asking conductor Marin Alsop and historian Simon Schama why Beethoven's life and work still matter today. All through 2020, as part of Radio 3's Beethoven Unleashed season, Donald Macleod takes an unprecedented deep dive into the compelling story and extraordinary music of Ludwig van Beethoven. In this uniquely ambitious series, told across 125 episodes of Composer of the Week, Donald puts us inside Beethoven's world and explores his hopes, struggles and perseverance in all the colourful detail this amazing narrative deserves. Alongside this in-depth biography, Donald will also be meeting and talking to Beethoven enthusiasts and experts from across the world to discover how his music continues to speak to us in the twenty-first century. Through story and sound, the series builds into a vivid new portrait of this composer, born 250 years ago this year, who made art that changed how people saw themselves and understood the world. Bagatelle in A minor (Fur Elise), WoO 59 Lang Lang, piano String Quartet No 10, Op 74 (Harp) (3rd movement) Artemis Quartet Symphony No 3 in E flat major (Eroica) (3rd movement) Gewandhausorchester Leipzig Riccardo Chailly, conductor Grosse Fuge, Op 133 Takacs Quartet Symphony No 5 in C minor (1st and 2nd movements) Vienna Philharmonic Simon Rattle, conductor Produced by Martin Williams for BBC Wales Conductor Marin Alsop and historian Simon Schama tell us why Beethoven matters today.
2020	02	Struggle	20200114	Continuing his conversation with the conductor Marin Alsop and historian Simon Schama, Donald Macleod asks about the centrality of the notion of struggle in relation to Beethoven's life and work. All through 2020, as part of Radio 3's Beethoven Unleashed season, Donald Macleod takes an unprecedented deep dive into the compelling story and extraordinary music of Ludwig van Beethoven. In this uniquely ambitious series, told across 125 episodes of Composer of the Week, Donald puts us inside Beethoven's world and explores his hopes, struggles and perseverance in all the colourful detail this amazing narrative deserves. Alongside this in-depth biography, Donald will also be meeting and talking to Beethoven enthusiasts and experts from across the world to discover how his music continues to speak to us in the twenty-first century. Through story and sound, the series builds into a vivid new portrait of this composer, born 250 years ago this year, who made art that changed how people saw themselves and understood the world. Symphony No 8 in F major, Op 93 (2nd movement) Vienna Philharmonic Simon Rattle, conductor Sonata in A major, Op 30 No 1 for violin and piano Gidon Kremer, violin Martha Argerich, piano Leonore Overture No 3 Berlin Philharmonic Herbert von Karajan, conductor Piano Sonata No 27 in E minor, Op 90 (2nd movement) Andras Schiff, piano Piano Concerto No 4 in G major, Op 58 (2nd movement) Mitsuko Uchida, piano Produced by Martin Williams for BBC Wales Marin Alsop and Simon Schama discuss Beethoven and the notion of struggle.
2020	03	Beethoven's World	20200115	One of the things that makes Beethoven so appealing is that he was a man of his times. And what times they were - times of extraordinary revolution and turmoil. Donald Macleod continues his conversation with the conductor Marin Alsop and historian Simon Schama by asking them about the political and social backdrop to Beethoven's life and work. All through 2020, Donald Macleod takes an unprecedented deep dive into the compelling story and extraordinary music of Ludwig van Beethoven. In this uniquely ambitious series, told across 125 episodes of Composer of the Week, Donald puts us inside Beethoven's world and explores his hopes, struggles and perseverance in all the colourful detail this amazing narrative deserves. Alongside this in-depth biography, Donald will also be meeting and talking to Beethoven enthusiasts and experts from across the world to discover how his music continues to speak to us in the twenty-first century. Through story and sound, the series builds into a vivid new portrait of this composer, born 250 years ago this year, who made art that changed how people saw themselves and understood the world. Piano Sonata No 13 in E flat major, Op 27 No 1 (2nd movement) Paul Lewis, piano Symphony No 3 in E flat major (Eroica), Op 55 (2nd movement) New York Philharmonic Orchestra Leonard Bernstein, conductor The Creatures of Prometheus: Overture Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Fidelio: Act II finale Arnold Schoenberg Choir Berlin Philharmonic Simon Rattle, conductor Symphony No 4 in B flat major, Op 60 (1st movement) London Symphony Orchestra Bernard Haitink, conductor Produced by Martin Williams for BBC Wales Marin Alsop and Simon Schama join Donald Macleod to discuss Beethoven's world.
2020	04	Romance And Enlightenment	20200116	Continuing his conversation with the conductor Marin Alsop and the historian Simon Schama, Donald Macleod asks about Beethoven's perspective on the ideas of the enlightenment and the expression of those ideas in his challenging assertion of the primacy of the Artist. All through 2020, Donald Macleod takes an unprecedented deep dive into the compelling story and extraordinary music of Ludwig van Beethoven. In this uniquely ambitious series, told across 125 episodes of Composer of the Week, Donald puts us inside Beethoven's world and explores his hopes, struggles and perseverance in all the colourful detail this amazing narrative deserves. Alongside this in-depth biography, Donald will also be meeting and talking to Beethoven enthusiasts and experts from across the world to discover how his music continues to speak to us in the twenty-first century. Through story and sound, the series builds into a vivid new portrait of this composer, born 250 years ago this year, who made art that changed how people saw themselves and understood the world. Piano Sonata No 14 (Moonlight), Op 27 No 2 (1st movement) Glenn Gould, piano String Quartet in F minor, Op 95 (1st movement) Hagen Quartet Egmont Overture, Op 84 London Symphony Orchestra Wyn Morris, conductor Symphony No 9 in D major (Choral), Op 125 (IVa. Presto) Norman Scott, bass Martina Arroyo, soprano Nicholas Di Virgilio, tenor Regina Sarfaty, mezzo-soprano The Juilliard Chorus New York Philharmonic Orchestra Leonard Bernstein, conductor Symphony No 9 in D major (Choral), Op 125 (IVb. Finale) Kurt Streit, tenor Thomas Hampson, baritone Barbara Bonney, soprano Birgit Remmert , mezzo-soprano City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Simon Rattle, conductor Produced by Martin Williams for BBC Wales Marin Alsop and Simon Schama join Donald Macleod to discuss Beethoven's ideals.
2020	05 LAST	Late Style	20200117	Marin Alsop and Simon Schama join Donald Macleod to discuss the character and work of Beethoven in the final period of his life. All through 2020, Donald Macleod takes an unprecedented deep dive into the compelling story and extraordinary music of Ludwig van Beethoven. In this uniquely ambitious series, told across 125 episodes of Composer of the Week, Donald puts us inside Beethoven's world and explores his hopes, struggles and perseverance in all the colourful detail this amazing narrative deserves. Alongside this in-depth biography, Donald will also be meeting and talking to Beethoven enthusiasts and experts from across the world to discover how his music continues to speak to us in the twenty-first century. Through story and sound, the series builds into a vivid new portrait of this composer, born 250 years ago this year, who made art that changed how people saw themselves and understood the world. String Quartet in A minor, Op 132 (5th movement) Busch Quartet String Quartet in E flat major, Op 127 (1st movement) Alban Berg Quartet Bagatelle in E flat major, Op 126 No 6 Alfred Brendel, piano Mass in D major (Missa Solemnis), Op 123 (Kyrie) Collegium Vocale Gent Orchestre des Champs-Elysees Philippe Herreweghe, conductor Coriolan Overture, Op 62 Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Herbert von Karajan, conductor String Quartet in B flat major, Op 130 (5th movement) Danish String Quartet Produced by Martin Williams for BBC Wales Marin Alsop and Simon Schama join Donald Macleod to discuss Beethoven's final years.