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Sign up todayBeethoven Unleashed
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Learn moreHe was a revolutionary, an innovator, a disruptor. A man who accomplished incredible success, but endured serious personal hardships. A legend who changed the way audiences listen to music and whose melodies still resonate today, 250 years after his birth.
Go on a journey to explore the life and works of arguably the greatest composer in history: Ludwig van Beethoven.
Join Donald Macleod, presenter of BBC Radio 3's Composer of the Week, as he brings Beethoven vividly to life: from his childhood in Bonn to how he won over the aristocratic music circles of Vienna, from the creation of his timeless works to the tragic loss of his hearing - and everything in between.
Beethoven the legendary composer is just part of the story. In this exclusive BBC Audio release, other sides to his personality will be revealed, such as the man who experienced ordinary difficulties in family, friendship and love; and the playful character who introduced the scherzo (literally, "joke") into symphony.
Over 60 episodes, this radio masterpiece includes more than six hours of Beethoven's timeless music performed by the BBC Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra.
BBC Philharmonic / Gianandrea Noseda (conductor):
Symphony No 4 B flat major, Op 60
Symphony No 5 in C minor, Op 67
Symphony No 6 in F major, Op 63
Symphony No 8 in F major, Op 93
Overture from Die Ruinen von Athen, Op 113
BBC Symphony Orchestra; Sakari Oramo (conductor):
Symphony No 3 in E flat major, Op 55
Leonore Overture No 2
BBC Philharmonic / Vassily Sinaisky (conductor):
Fidelio Overture
BBC Philharmonic / Juanjo Mena (conductor):
Musik zu einem Ritterballet Woo.1
Egmont overture
Symphony No 7 in A major, Op 92
Khatia Buniatishvili (piano):
Khatia Buniatishvili appears courtesy of Sony Classical
Excerpts from:
Piano Sonata No.17 in D minor, Op.31 No.2, "The Tempest"
Piano sonata No.19 in G minor, Op.49 No.1
Piano Sonata No.23 in F minor, Op. 57, "Appassionata"
Written and presented by Donald Macleod
Produced by Martin Smith, Chris Taylor, Sam Phillips, Mike Evans, Amelia Parker, Amy Wheel
Consultant: Dr Erica Buurman
Commissioned by BBC Radio 3
Music copyright restrictions mean that the musical interludes in this programme are provided as punctuation to the narrative, rather than a direct illustration.
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was born on 17 December 1770. He wrote nine symphonies and was working on his tenth when he died. His other works include seven surviving concertos, 16 string quartets and 35 piano sonatas (including three little-known pieces printed when the composer was 12). Beethoven tragically began to go deaf in his late twenties and his hearing gradually faded until his death on 26 March 1827.
(Edited from the BBC’s profile of Beethoven, © Barry Cooper)
Donald Macleod
Donald Macleod is the presenter of BBC Radio 3’s Composer of the Week, where he explores in depth the life and works of different composers. His musical education is fairly basic: his piano teacher gave up on him at the age of eight, telling his parents that he was wasting their money! Listening to Radio 3 became a habit early on. Early in his career he got a job creating sound effects in plays for the BBC’s Radio Drama department. He become a presenter in 1982 on Radio 3 and has also worked as a TV reporter and newsreader for BBC1’s 60 Minutes.
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was born on 17 December 1770. He wrote nine symphonies and was working on his tenth when he died. His other works include seven surviving concertos, 16 string quartets and 35 piano sonatas (including three little-known pieces printed when the composer was 12). Beethoven tragically began to go deaf in his late twenties and his hearing gradually faded until his death on 26 March 1827.
(Edited from the BBC’s profile of Beethoven, © Barry Cooper)
Donald Macleod
Donald Macleod is the presenter of BBC Radio 3’s Composer of the Week, where he explores in depth the life and works of different composers. His musical education is fairly basic: his piano teacher gave up on him at the age of eight, telling his parents that he was wasting their money! Listening to Radio 3 became a habit early on. Early in his career he got a job creating sound effects in plays for the BBC’s Radio Drama department. He become a presenter in 1982 on Radio 3 and has also worked as a TV reporter and newsreader for BBC1’s 60 Minutes.
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