Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 - Méhul: Les Amazones: Overture
4/23/2021, 5 Tracks, 54:13
Featuring
François-Xavier Roth
Les Siècles
Ludwig van Beethoven
Etienne-Nicolas Méhul
Did you know?
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Composition History
Beethoven's Symphony No. 3, 'Eroica', was originally dedicated to Napoleon Bonaparte, but Beethoven furiously rescinded the dedication when Napoleon declared himself emperor.
Composition History
Méhul's opera, Les Amazones, premiered in 1811 in the presence of Emperor Napoleon I and his wife Marie-Louise, but suffered a fiasco due to a stage machinery malfunction.
Interpretation
Les Siècles, the orchestra on this recording, uses period instruments with gut strings and a pitch standard of A=430 Hz for historical accuracy.
Recording & Production
This album is part of a larger Harmonia Mundi collection (2020-2027) celebrating Beethoven's 250th birth anniversary and 200th death anniversary.
Interpretation
The conductor, François-Xavier Roth, chose to use five double basses, a 'typically French characteristic' that adds a more rounded sound to the lower register.
Composer Biography
Beethoven and Étienne-Nicolas Méhul, a French contemporary, were both organists who began their careers in towns only 200 km apart.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Beethoven's 'Eroica' Symphony is considered his first openly political work, reflecting his disappointment and resignation regarding Napoleon's actions.
