¡Viva Beethoven!: Symphonies Nos. 7 and 8
Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar / Gustavo Dudamel
It is one of the most well-known pieces by Beethoven: the Allegretto from his Seventh Symphony. But the other seven movements of Symphonies Nos. 7 and 8 are also remarkably good. Gustavo Dudamel and his young Venezuelan orchestra’s interpretation of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 will be particularly thrilling to experience – it was Richard Wagner no less who described the piece as a »glorification of dance«.
It is certainly not a coincidence that the 25-year-old Dudamel chose the Seventh for his debut CD (with the German label Grammophon, which at the time was still based in Hamburg). Critics euphorically celebrated the fresh oomph of the recording and although the youth orchestra has since evolved into a youthful symphony orchestra, the Venezuelans still make music with fire and awe-inspiring passion.
Fire will continue to blaze in Symphony No. 8: with mood changes and irony galore, this work is considered the most intriguing of all Beethoven’s nine symphonies.
Performers
Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar de Venezuela
conductor Gustavo Dudamel
Programme
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92
– Interval –
Ludwig van Beethoven
Sinfonie Nr. 8 F-Dur op. 93
Estimated end time
21:45