Beethoven initially conceived his Third Symphony with Napoleon Bonaparte in mind, but reportedly tore up the dedication page in a rage upon hearing of Napoleon's self-proclamation as emperor.
Compositional Technique
Beethoven's 'Eroica' Symphony features a funeral march as its second movement and a then-novel Scherzo in place of the traditional minuet.
Performer Biography
Mariss Jansons, the conductor on this album, studied violin, piano, and conducting at the Leningrad Conservatory and was a student of Hans Swarowsky and Herbert von Karajan.
Recording & Production
This album is part of the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks' first and only complete Beethoven symphony cycle under the baton of Mariss Jansons, which has received international acclaim.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Rodion Shchedrin, a composer born in 1932, based his 'Symphonic Fragment' on Beethoven's 'Heiligenstadt Testament' because the dramatic experience of Beethoven's life always interested him.
Composition History
Beethoven's Third Symphony, the 'Eroica', was composed in 1802/1803, during a period when he was grappling with the onset of his deafness.
