Beethoven: Prometheus & Ritterballett

Featuring

Günther Herbig
Karl-Heinz Schröter
Walter Weih
Günter Wäsch
Staatskapelle Berlin
Ludwig van Beethoven

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Composition History

The title 'Ritterballett' (knightly ballet) was not given by Beethoven but was chosen in 1838, eleven years after his death, for an edition.

Composition History

The premiere of the Ritterballett was attributed to Count Ferdinand von Waldstein, not Beethoven, emphasizing its nature as an occasional work.

Interpretation

Conductor Günther Herbig aimed for a thinner string tone with little vibrato and quick, forward-pressing tempos, with the woodwinds given greater prominence, reflecting Viennese Classical style.

Composition History

The premiere of Die Geschöpfe des Prometheus took place on March 28, 1801, at the Vienna Hofburgtheater, where Salvatore Viganò was a popular choreographer and ballet master.

Composition History

Beethoven composed the Ritterballett (ballet of knights), WoO 1, in 1790/91 for his first patron, Count Ferdinand von Waldstein.

Recording & Production

This recording was made at the DEFA studio in Potsdam-Babelsberg, chosen for its dry acoustics to achieve a bright, transparent, and 'selective' sound.

Composition History

Beethoven created Die Geschöpfe des Prometheus (The Creatures of Prometheus), Op. 43, for Salvatore Viganò's ballet "Gli uomini di Prometeo" (The Men of Prometheus).