大象传媒

Donald Macleod is joined by Sarah Willis to explore Beethoven鈥檚 writing for the French horn.

Throughout this week, Donald Macleod meets with different professional musicians to get a performer's eye view of Beethoven鈥檚 music and the challenges it presents.

During Beethoven鈥檚 life, great technical advances were being made to musical instruments such as the keyboard and the horn. It was also a period when virtuoso musicians of all kinds began to tour Europe and Beethoven was able to meet some of the greatest exponents of different instruments and learn from them. He was inspired to push the limits of his performers as never before, and his works continue to fascinate and challenge musicians today.

Today Donald Macleod is joined by Sarah Willis to explore Beethoven from the perspective of a horn player. Sarah shares her thoughts on regularly performing Beethoven, how Beethoven pushed the boundaries of horn writing, and when to use an historic natural horn instead of a modern instrument. Donald and Sarah also discuss the impact of horn players, Giovanni Punto and the Lewy brothers on Beethoven's understanding of their instrument.

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

Horn Sonata, Op 17
Anthony Halstead, horn
Robert Levin, fortepiano

Symphony No 3 in E flat, Op 55 鈥淓roica鈥� (Scherzo)
Berlin Philharmonic
Sir Simon Rattle, conductor

Sextet in E flat, Op 81b (Rondo)
Consortium Classicum

Symphony No 9 in D minor, Op 125 鈥淐horal鈥� (Adagio molto e cantabile)
Berlin Philharmonic
Sir Simon Rattle, conductor

Produced by Luke Whitlock for 大象传媒 Wales.