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Beethoven makes a final appeal to the judges who will decide if he can retain custody of his young nephew Karl, or whether the boy should be returned to his mother.

Beethoven makes a final appeal to the judges who will decide if he can retain custody of his young nephew Karl, or whether the boy should be returned to his mother.

This week, Donald Macleod follows Ludwig van Beethoven through the years of 1816-1821, a period when the composer was moving towards yet another extraordinary and revolutionary flowering of his creativity. However, something was holding him back. Beethoven had resolved to become the legal guardian of his nephew, Karl, and to remove him from the care of his mother, Johanna. The resulting court battles would rumble on for five years, damaging everyone involved, consuming them all, and distracting Beethoven from his music.

Composer of the Week is 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.

Bester Magistrat, Ihr friert WoO.177
Berliner Singakademie
Directed by Dietrich Knothe

Tremate, empi, tremate Op.116
Reetta Haavisto, soprano
Dan Karlström, tenor
Kevin Greenlaw, baritone
Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Leif Segerstam

Bagatelles Op.119, Nos.7-11
Alfred Brendel, piano

Abendlied unterm gestirnten Himmel WoO.150
Benjamin Appl, baritone
Graham Johnson, piano

March for Military Band WoO.24 (extract)
Berlin Philharmonic Wind Ensemble
conducted by Hans Priem-Bergrath

Piano Sonata No.31, Op.110
Alfred Brendel, piano

59 minutes

Last on

Fri 9 Oct 2020 12:00

Music Played

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Bester Magistrat, Ihr friert! WoO 177

    Choir: Berlin Singakademie. Conductor: Dietrich Knothe.
    • Berlin Classics.
    • Berlin Classics.
    • 21.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Tremate, empi, Tremate, Op 116

    Librettist: Giovanni de Gamerra. Performer: Reetta Haavisto. Performer: Dan Karlström. Performer: Kevin Greenlaw. Performer: Leif Segerstam. Orchestra: Turku Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • NAXOS : 8573882.
    • NAXOS.
    • 9.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Bagatelles, Op 119 (Nos 7-11)

    Performer: Alfred Brendel.
    • PHILIPS : 456 031-2-.
    • PHILIPS.
    • 16.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Abendlied untern gestirnten Himmel, WoO 150

    Performer: Graham Johnson. Singer: Benjamin Appl.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    March for Military Band, WoO 24

    Ensemble: Bläser der Berliner Philharmoniker. Director: Hans Priem-Bergrath.
    • DG : E4196242.
    • DG.
    • 12.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Piano Sonata No 31 in A flat major, Op 110

    Performer: Alfred Brendel.
    • PHILIPS : 446-701-2.
    • PHILIPS.
    • 4.

Broadcast

  • Fri 9 Oct 2020 12:00

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