大象传媒

Donald Macleod explores the composition of one of Beethoven鈥檚 greatest late-period works 鈥� the monumental Grosse Fuge

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 Friday鈥檚 programme, Donald explores one of Beethoven鈥檚 greatest late-period works, one which shows the composer reaching into the past for inspiration to create something truly contemporary 鈥� the monumental Grosse Fuge. We will hear about the composer鈥檚 encounter with the newest popular musician of the day 鈥� Rossini, and details of Beethoven鈥檚 haphazard, shabby and slovenly life. In these final years though - as Beethoven grew older, and more frequently ill, and his finances became ever more precarious - his music became more and more ambitious.

Symphony No 9 in D minor, Op 125 鈥淐horal鈥� - Finale (excerpt)
Gundula Janowitz, soprano
Hilde R枚ssel-Majdan, contralto
Waldemar Kmentt, tenor
Walter Berry, bass
Wiener Singverein
Berlin Philharmonic
Herbert von Karajan, conductor

Piano Sonata No 32 in C minor, Op 111 鈥� I. Maestoso
Andras Schiff, piano

Missa Solemnis in D major, Op 123 鈥� Credo: Et Incarnatus Est
Polina Pasztircs谩k, soprano
Sophie Harmsen, mezzo
Steve Davislim, tenor
Johannes Weisser, baritone
RIAS Kammerchor
Freiburg Barockorchester
Rene Jacobs, conductor

Diabelli variations in C major, Op 120 (variations 31-33)
Stephen Kovacevich, piano

Grosse Fuge in B flat major, Op 133
Tak谩cs Quartet

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