Beethoven’s nine symphonies are as beloved as they are ubiquitous. You would be hard-pressed to find someone that hasn’t heard the opening to the dramatic Fifth Symphony, or the choral sublimity of the Ninth. But how was each symphony composed, and what makes each of them so unique? Exploring the structural, thematic, and aesthetic features of each of Beethoven’s nine symphonies will open up a whole new world of appreciation for these works for those familiar and new listeners alike.

DELIVERY MODE

• Face-to-Face

COURSE OUTLINE

• Early Beethoven: First and Second Symphonies
• Beethoven’s Third Symphony: Eroica
• The ‘slender Grecian maiden between two Nordic giants’: Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony
• Beethoven’s Fifth With Fresh Ears
• Pastoral Delights: Beethoven’s Sixth
• Symphony No. 7: A Major Good Time
• Symphony No. 8: ‘My Little Symphony in F’
• Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony: A Choral Symphony
• How does one compose a symphony after Beethoven? Schubert, Schumann, and Brahms

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Identify by ear each of the Beethoven symphonies and the each of the movements found therein
2. Articulate the structural and stylistic features of each symphony
3. Situate each of Beethoven’s symphonies within his three broadly agreed upon ‘periods’ (early, middle, and late) and identify specific features in each work that adhere to (or challenge) these delineations
4. Identify the specific advancements Beethoven made to the symphonic genre