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Donald Macleod concludes his year-long journey into Beethoven's life and music, selecting highlights from conversations with leading musicians, biographers and historians on the subject of what the composer means to us today

Composer of the Week has this year, every alternate week, explored the life and work of Ludwig van Beethoven, in celebration of the 250th anniversary of his birth. In this, the final week of 25 series devoted to the extraordinary composer, Donald Macleod looks back over the year, and presents his personal highlights from the interviews he carried out over the course of 125 programmes. From historian Simon Schama to conductors Marin Alsop and John Eliot Gardiner, and pianists Jonathan Biss and Angela Hewitt, Donald was joined by experts and performers who gave remarkable insights into the unique human being that was Beethoven. This week he brings together some of the conversations that stayed with him, building a picture of Beethoven the man, the composer, the interpretation of his music since his death, the times he lived in, and what he means to us today.

In this last programme of Composer of the Week's major celebration of Beethoven, Donald Macleod brings together personal highlights from interviews he carried out over the course of the year with leading musicians, biographers and historians. Exploring what Beethoven means to us today, among his guests are Simon Schama, Marin Alsop and John Eliot Gardiner, who reflect on the composer's continuing relevance 250 years after his birth, and what he might mean to us in the future.

Composer of the Week has been 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.

Bagatelles, Op 33 No 2 in C (Scherzo allegro)
John Lill, piano

Piano Trio Op 1 No 3 in C minor - 1st movement: Allegro con brio & 2nd movement: Menuetto)
Beaux Arts Trio

Symphony No 4 in B flat, OP 60 - 4th movement: Allegro ma non troppo
Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique
John Eliot Gardiner, conductor

Fidelio Act 1 - Finale
Ekkehard Wlaschiha (Don Pizarro), baritone
Jessye Norman (Leonore), soprano
Reiner Goldberg (Florestan), tenor
Kurt Moll (Rocco), bass
Pamela Coburn (Marzelline), soprano
Hans Peter Blochwitz (Jaquino), tenor
Wolfgang Millgramm (First Prisoner), tenor
Egbert Junghanns (Second Prisoner), bass
Chor der Staatsoper Dresden
Staatskapelle Dresden
Bernard Haitink, conductor

Produced by Luke Whitlock for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales