Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 was completed when he was in his forties and at the height of his powers, yet some contemporary critics dismissed it as the work of a drunkard.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Beethoven's music expanded the dimensions of classical forms, attempting the seemingly impossible and establishing a new level of independence for composers.
Performer Biography
Béla Drahos, the conductor of the Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia, is a flautist who won first prize in the Concertino Prague '71 International Flute Competition.
Composer Biography
Beethoven settled in Vienna in 1792, taking lessons from Haydn, Johann Georg Albrechtsberger (Kapellmeister of St. Stephen's Cathedral), and Antonio Salieri (Imperial Kapellmeister).
Recording & Production
The Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia was formed in 1992 specifically as a recording orchestra for Naxos, though it also performs public concerts.
Composer Biography
Ludwig van Beethoven's childhood was marked by his father's inadequacy and drunkenness, leading Beethoven to take charge of his family.
