大象传媒

Donald Macleod explores the relationship between Beethoven and his most important patron - Archduke Rudolph of Austria.

Beethoven remains one of the most lauded composers in history, famed for both his music, and for his personal triumph as a musician over the adversity of his catastrophic hearing loss. Over the course of this Composer of the Week series, Donald Macleod takes five of Beethoven鈥檚 most iconic works, spread out through the composer鈥檚 life, and tracks the journey of each of them. Through these stories, Donald discovers both the pieces鈥� direct importance to the composer, and also finds wider issues which each of them point to in the general life of a complex, and troubled man. From his carefully stage-managed debut on the Viennese scene as a young man, and his steadily increasing anguish at the loss of his hearing, and the betrayal by Napoleon of his political ideals, to the close relationship between Beethoven and his most loyal patron, and the composer鈥檚 late credo of joy through suffering which allowed him to continue to flourish artistically despite all of his personal demons.

In Wednesday鈥檚 programme, Donald explores the relationship between Beethoven and his most important patron - Archduke Rudolph of Austria. Beethoven gave lessons to the Archduke and would go on to dedicate more works to him than to any other person, among them some of his most important compositions. The key work of Beethoven鈥檚 that Donald explores today is one of these 鈥� a piece recognised as one of the greatest of Beethoven鈥檚 chamber works, and a work which could well be a portrait of his patron 鈥� the 鈥淎rchduke鈥� trio.

Ich bin der Herr von zu, Du bist der Herr von von, WoO 199
Accentus

Piano Concerto No 4 in G major, Op 58 鈥� III. Rondo
Maria Jo茫o Pires, piano
Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Daniel Harding, conductor

Symphony No 5 in C minor, Op 67 鈥� IV. Allegro
Vienna Philharmonic
Simon Rattle, conductor

Piano Sonata No 26 in E flat major, Op 81a 鈥淟es Adieux鈥� - I. Das lebewohl
Evgeny Kissin, piano

Piano Trio in B flat major, Op 97 鈥淎rchduke鈥� 鈥� I. Allegro Molto
Daniel Barenboim, piano
Pinchas Zuckerman, violin
Jacqueline du Pre, cello

Missa Solemnis in D major, Op 123 鈥� Gloria - Quoniam
Laura Aikin, soprano
Bernarda Fink, alto
Johannes Chum, tenor
Ruben Drole, bass
Arnold Schoenberg Chor
Concentus Musicus Wien
Nikolaus Harnoncourt, conductor

Produced by Sam Phillips for 大象传媒 Audio Wales & West