Exploring Symphony No.9

[Amalie]

This Sunday Sept. 7th, at 18:45 -

BBC Radio 3, Discovering Music programme, presents Beethoven's Symphony No.9, with a lucid discussion and technical analysis of the music and the composer.
You can learn more than you think possible, even about well know works. A few weeks back they discussed Beethoven's - Archduke Trio.
Discovering music programme presents a different composer every week.
The Respeghi - a musical portrait of a botticelli tryptich, was aslo very engaging. A fascintating programme to listen to.

Anyone who would like to listen, tune in on http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/classical/discover.shtml


Not to be missed, I am sure you will find the programme fascinating.

[This message has been edited by Amalie (edited September 06, 2003).]

[Peter]

Thanks for that link - very useful site and the good thing is that past programs are archived so you can still listen to them! I'm listening to the Archduke trio now.

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'Man know thyself'

[Amalie]

Originally posted by Peter:
Thanks for that link - very useful site and the good thing is that past programs are archived so you can still listen to them! I'm listening to the Archduke trio now.

Having just listened to this brilliant programme, exploring Beethoven's 9th, I am definately begining to appreciate Beethoven's revolutionalry use of musical rythms - the way in which 3/4 time beats are juxtaposed in the slow movement in the most astonishing way.
The programme also made the point that in the choral section, when the chorus praises the cherub before God, and Beethoven then violently changes the key into sort of low key troll like march. Beethoven is really saying that the ordinary man living a dull, low key existance will also be brothers with everybody else before God, and he really means that, hence the radical change of key. It is interesting also, that this proved to be too much for 19th century musicologists, who transposed the (bassoon)low 'troll' like key an octave higher in order to make it sound more elevated and not so primeval.
I am pleased you got into the archives, which I also do when I want to listen to a piece again.
It really is a brilliant programme for everyone to access and appreciate more.