Classical Masterpieces | Deutsche Welle

In his "Eroica", Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827) took the definitive step from the “classical” symphony of the 18th century to the “grand” symphony of the 19th.His Third Symphony is a key work in the repertoire of any symphony orchestra.The pioneering elements of the work are its unusual scale, daring orchestra-tion, and trailblazing harmonies.Beethoven composed the Third Symphony in 1803/04, two years after writing the famous "Heiligenstadt testimony", in which he talks about his...

Johannes Brahms (1833 – 1897) is regarded as the last great classical composer. His compositions continue the tradition of Mozart and Beethoven. His Fourth Symphony is a mature work of his later years.It took Brahms twenty years to complete his first symphony, by which time he was 43 years old. For his other three symphonies he also needed a lot of time – eight years in all.Brahms wrote his Fourth Symphony in 1884 / 85 at the peak of his creative powers. Following the death of Richard...

Robert Schumann’s Symphony Nr.3 is one of the most famous orchestral works between those of Beethoven and Brahms. The "Rhenish" contains no trace of the sickness and depression of his final years.Robert Schumann (1810 – 1856) fought a life-long battle against depression. Between two periods of crisis – isolation in Dresden and the years of his final illness – Schumann and his wife, Clara, enjoyed some happy years in Düsseldorf. It is thanks to this intermezzo that he was able to compose...

"An Alpine Symphony" by Richard Strauss (1864 – 1949) is a typical example of what is known as programme music. In this monumental work, Strauss describes a mountain climb in separate, precisely defined sections.The effect of the symphony stems to a large extent from the highly nuanced orchestration. "At last I have learned to orchestrate", the composer said after the first performance in 1915, at which Strauss himself conducted the huge orchestra in the Berlin Phailharmonic Hall.This is...