[Beethoven V & VI]

Before Beethoven played his first violin concerto to a select audience made up only of friends, he had composed almost nothing for the instrument. This explains the relatively large role played here by the orchestra, which enters into an extensive dialogue with the soloist. Beethoven was thereby able to overcome the traditional dichotomy between the soloist and orchestra, creating an exquisitely polished masterpiece. His Fifth Symphony is also a milestone of his symphonic repertoire. The whole work is haunted by the famous opening motif consisting of just four notes: short-short-short-long. Within this ongoing struggle with the so-called “motif of fate”, Beethoven’s Fifth unfurls into a glorious musical chronicle, turning tragedy into triumph, and tumult into rejoicing. We will play Beethoven’s Fifth on 20 November, and Beethoven’s Sixth on 22 November.