Beethoven Unleashed: The Drawing Room Demon

Donald Macleod follows Beethoven’s progress as he seeks out
wealthy Viennese patrons for his music.


This week, Donald Macleod follows Beethoven through the years
1796-99, as the young composer learns to negotiate the privileged
and moneyed circles of Vienna’s culture-loving aristocracy. Few
can resist his extraordinary charisma as a virtuoso pianist but
will he also be able to persuade them of his talents as a
composer? In this episode, Beethoven undertakes his first
international tour, reluctantly accepts piano students, puts his
music before a wider public and starts work on his ambitious
first symphony.


Composer of the Week will be returning to the story of
Beethoven’s life and music throughout 2020. Part of Radio 3’s
Beethoven Unleashed season marking the 250th anniversary of
Beethoven’s birth.


Music featured: Piano Sonata No 5 in C minor, Op 10 No 1 Piano
Trio Op 1 No 1 March for four hands, Op 45 No 2 12 Variations on
a Russian dance by Wranitzky, WoO 71 String Quartet op 18 no 6,
mvts. III & IV Piano Sonata No 5 in C minor, Op 10 No 1
Sextet Op 71 Ah! Perfido Cello Sonata Op 5 No 1 Quintet for piano
and winds, Op 16 Piano Sonata No 4, Op 7 Violin Sonata, Op 12 No
2 String Quartet, Op 18 No 4 Piano Trio Op 1 No 1 Piano Sonata No
7, Op 10 No 3 Romance in F, Op 50 Duet for two obbligato
eye-glasses, Woo 32 String Quartet Op 18 No 1 Violin Sonata, Op
12 No 3 Piano Sonata No 6 in F, Op 10 Zärtliche Liebe, WoO 123
Trio in B flat major, Op 11 Symphony No 1 in C


Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Chris Taylor for BBC
Wales


For full tracklistings, including artist and recording details,
and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after
broadcast) head to the series page for Beethoven Unleashed: The
Drawing Room Demon https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000gkqk


And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve
featured on Composer of the Week here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z