logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2021
46m 2s

Beethoven Symphony No. 1

JOSHUA WEILERSTEIN
About this episode

Today begins a pretty massive project for Sticky Notes - a complete Beethoven cycle over the next few weeks! We start of course with Beethoven's 1st symphony. Some people tend to think of Beethoven's 1st as a cautious foray into the symphonic world, but I couldn't disagree more. It is a bold, confident leap into the genre, a genre that Beethoven would end up changing for good. All of the elements that make Beethoven's symphonies so fantastic are already present in this symphony, so let's begin the journey!

Up next
May 28
Mozart String Quartet, K. 465, "Dissonance"
You might be wondering: why on earth would I choose a piece that is literally called "Dissonance" when I was looking for something a bit simpler or cleaner to talk about on the show today? Actually, Mozart's Dissonance quartet, probably his most famous and beloved quartet, was no ... Show More
49m 26s
May 15
Bonus Episode: Beethoven 5 en français!
Bienvenue dans cette édition spéciale du podcast Sticky Notes en français ! Aujourd'hui, nous parlons de la symphonie la plus célèbre du monde, et de la symphonie que nous allons interpréter à Lille les 21, 22 et 23 mai, la 5e symphonie de Beethoven. Et veuillez me pardonner pour ... Show More
42m 47s
May 14
Liszt Faust Symphony
Thank you to Jerry for sponsoring today's episode on Patreon! Goethe's Faust is considered to be the greatest work of German literature. This sprawling, 2-part play occupied Goethe's life for nearly 60 years, from its original version, begun in 1772, all the way to Goethe's final ... Show More
1h 3m
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2015
Symphony No. 2: Desperation and Determination
Ludwig van Beethoven's Second Symphony came at a pivot point in his life. Musically, the composer moved toward the more epic, revolutionary style that would define his later symphonies. Personally, Beethoven sank into despair as his hearing loss worsened. 
14m 48s
May 2020
Beethoven's Silent Symphony
May 7, 1824. One of the great musical icons in history, Ludwig Van Beethoven, steps onto stage at the Kärntnertor Theater in Vienna. The audience is electric, buzzing with anticipation for a brand new symphony from the legendary composer. But there’s a rumor on their minds, somet ... Show More
29m 35s
May 2022
Beethoven's Silent Symphony (Replay)
History repeats itself this week with an episode from the HISTORY This Week archives: May 7, 1824. One of the great musical icons in history, Ludwig Van Beethoven, steps onto stage at the Kärntnertor Theater in Vienna. The audience is electric, buzzing with anticipation for a bra ... Show More
31m 41s
Oct 2015
Symphony No. 1: A Great (But Not Groundbreaking) Start
Ludwig van Beethoven wrote symphonies that introduced new musical ideas, inspired generations of composers and expanded the idea of what a symphony could be. But he started modestly. His First Symphony, written in 1800, pays tribute to his predecessors. 
13m 31s
Nov 2015
Symphony No. 8: A Musical Look Back
A fun, almost comical, moment before Beethoven stepped away from the symphony for a decade and wrote his ultimate triumph. 
15m 56s
Oct 2021
La Xe symphonie de Beethoven achevée par une IA ?
<p>Ce n’est pas la première fois que l’on vous parle d’intelligence artificielle et de musique dans ce podcast. Et pour cause, l’IA pourrait à terme remplacer les artistes si l’on en croit certains experts. Une hypothèse pas si absurde que cela quand on sait qu’une IA est récemme ... Show More
2m 22s
May 2019
“There is only one Beethoven”
Everybody knows the Beethoven story: He’s a brilliant composer who faced hearing loss; a genius who couldn’t listen to his own masterpieces. But there’s a different way to consider the story we think we know. 
35m 31s
Sep 2020
THE 5TH — MOVEMENT III, Putting the Classism in Classical
Before Beethoven’s time, classical music culture looked and sounded quite different. When Mozart premiered his Symphony 31 in the late 1700s, it was standard for audiences to clap, cheer, and yell “da capo!” (Italian for “from the beginning!”) in the middle of a performance. Afte ... Show More
31m 22s
Sep 2020
THE 5TH — MOVEMENT I, A Battle Brewing
You know Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. You’ve heard it in films, advertisements, parodied in Saturday morning cartoons and disco-ized in Saturday Night Fever. The Fifth Symphony is a given, so much so that it blends into the background. You know this piece, but how well? Of all the ... Show More
27m 48s