CANCELLED: Symphoniker Hamburg / Ion Marin

Ludwig van Beethoven ushered in the musical 19th century with a »stroke of genius«: his First Symphony with its slow introduction gradually builds up tension before the radiant, energetic main theme comes in, all the brighter as a result. The second movement with its sprightly andante contrasts clearly with the effervescent, driving minuet of the third movement, while critics saw in the finale a declaration of belief in the Enlightenment and a generally positive attitude on Beethoven’s part. The symphony’s first performance was a resounding success, and as is well-known it was followed by eight more that wrote music history.