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Donald Macleod explores the story of Beethoven’s First Piano Concerto, a key work in his triumphant debut as a performer in Vienna.

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’s most iconic works, spread out through the composer’s life, and tracks the journey of each of them. Through these stories, Donald discovers both the pieces’ 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’s late credo of joy through suffering which allowed him to continue to flourish artistically despite all of his personal demons.

In Monday’s programme, Donald explores the story of the young Beethoven’s relationship with the city of Vienna, and his First Piano Concerto, which was to be a key work in his triumphant debut as a performer in the city. We also discover details of Beethoven’s encounters with two of the most famed maestros of the past – Mozart and Haydn – and learn of the tragic death of his mother at the age of just forty.

Symphony No 7 – IV. Finale
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Herbert Blomstedt, conductor

Piano Quartet No 1 in E flat major, WoO 36 – II. Allegro con spirito
Konstantin Selheim, piano
Klaviertrio Hannover

Cantata on death of Emperor Joseph II – I. Todt! Todt! - III. Da kam Joseph
Sally Matthews, soprano
Tamara Mumford, mezzo-soprano
Barry Banks, tenor
Andrew Foster-Williams, bass-baritone
San Francisco Symphony Chorus
San Francisco Symphony
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor

Piano Sonata in C major, Op 2`3 – IV. Allegro Assai
Igor Levit, piano

Piano Concerto No 1 in C major, Op 15 - 1st movement
Krystian Zimerman, piano
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Simon Rattle, conductor

Produced by Sam Philips for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Audio Wales and West