Beethoven’s celebrated Fifth Symphony shares the programme with his First and Fourth Symphonies at the Palau de la Música Catalana. Conducted by Daniele Gatti, the Staatskapelle Dresden performs works from different stages of the composer’s development, from his early Classical influences to the dramatic force of his mature style.
The concert is part of a series devoted to all nine of Beethoven’s symphonies and also features a new work by Italian composer Clara Iannotta. The programme spans two centuries of musical composition, offering an opportunity to hear how orchestral music has evolved while recognising the enduring relevance of Beethoven.
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The familiar idea that fate knocks at the door in Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony comes from his biographer, Anton Schindler. The trouble is that Schindler was known for making up anecdotes.
Beethoven opened his First Symphony with a chord that seemed to be in the wrong key. This small musical provocation unsettled his contemporaries and hinted at his determination to challenge convention.
The Fourth Symphony began as a commission from Count Franz von Oppersdorff, who paid 500 florins for a new work. Beethoven eventually dedicated it to him, although the premiere took place at another aristocrat’s palace.
