Beethoven at 250
A celebration of Ludwig van Beethoven, marking the composer's 250th birthday, with pianist Stephen Hough, poet Ruth Padel, Laura Tunbridge and Sir Simon Rattle.
A celebration of Ludwig van Beethoven, marking the composer's 250th anniversary year.
To discuss what sets Beethoven apart from other composers, John Wilson is joined by pianist Stephen Hough, poet Ruth Padel, Oxford Professor of Music Laura Tunbridge and conductor Sir Simon Rattle, who says of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony: "It is too much of everything!... this is a composer inventing the music of the next one hundred years"
Throughout 2020 Simon Rattle will be conducting Beethoven with the London Symphony Orchestra, starting in January with Symphonies 7 and 9 and the rarely performed Oratorio, Christ on the Mount of Olives.
Stephen Hough's recording of the complete Beethoven Piano Concertos will be released later this year, as will Laura Tunbridge's major biography of the composer.
Ruth Padel's collection Beethoven Variations: Poems on a Life is published at the end of January.
Radio 3 is celebrating Beethoven’s 250th anniversary with a year-long series, Beethoven Unleashed, launching on 13 January with Composer of the Week.
Presenter: John Wilson
Producer: Timothy Prosser
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Beethoven 250th Anniversary
Photo credit: Getty Images
Sir Simon Rattle
For info on Simon Rattle’s Beethoven concerts with the LSO
Image: Sir Simon Rattle
Image Credit: Mark Allan
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Ruth Padel
Ruth Padel’s collection is published in Jan.
Image: Ruth Padel
Image credit:ÌýGwen Burnyeat
Stephen Hough
for info on pianist Stephen Hough’s recording and concerts.
Image: Stephen Hough
Image Credit:ÌýSim Canetty-Clarke/±«Óãtv
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- New Year's Day 2020 19:15±«Óãtv Radio 4
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