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Today, Donald Macleod and Erica Buurman examine Beethoven’s cut-throat razor, leading to a discussion of the composer’s domestic circumstances.

Donald Macleod visits Beethoven’s birthplace with Erica Buurman where they find a cut-throat Razor owned by the composer and talk about his domestic circumstances.

This week, Donald Macleod takes us to Beethoven’s home town of Bonn and the Beethoven-Haus museum, which now occupies the building where he was born. Donald is joined by Erica Buurman, director of the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies, and together they explore some of the everyday objects and household artefacts owned by the composer to see what they can tell us about how he lived.

Composer of the Week will be 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.

Sonata No 29 in Bb, Op 106 ‘Hammerklavier’ (mvt 1 Allegro)
Stephen Kovacevich, piano

Aus Goethes Faust, Op 75, No 3
Roderick Williams, baritone
Iain Burnside, piano

Symphony No 6 (mvt 3)
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Simon Rattle, conductor

String Quintet in Eb Op 4 (mvt 1 Allegro con brio & 2 Andante)
Endellion Quartet

Produced by Chris Taylor for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Cymru Wales

59 minutes

Music Played

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Sonata No 29 in B flat major (Hammerklavier), Op 106 (1st movement)

    Performer: Stephen Kovacevich.
    • EMI 5627002.
    • EMI.
    • 1.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Aus Goethes Faust (Es war einmal), Op 75 No 3

    Singer: Roderick Williams. Performer: Iain Burnside.
    • Signum SIGCD139.
    • Signum.
    • 1.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Neue Liebe neues Leben, Op 75 No 2

    Performer: Iain Burnside. Singer: Roderick Williams. Singer: Ann Murray.
    • Signum SIGCD139.
    • Signum.
    • 5.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony No 6 in F major, Op 68 (Pastoral) (3rd movement)

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • EMI : 5574452.
    • EMI.
    • 3.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    String Quintet arr from Wind Octet, Op 4 (1st and 2nd movement)

    Ensemble: Endellion Quartet.
    • Warner Classics 2564694713.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 1.

Broadcast

  • Wed 11 Mar 2020 12:00

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