Beethoven started sketching ideas for his first symphony in 1795 but it was not until 1799, when he had mastered smaller forms such as the piano sonata, that he began working on it in earnest. He conducted its first performance in Vienna in April 1800.
Portrait of Beethoven in 1804 Photo: Joseph Willibrord Mähler, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons
Orchestra Wellington conducted by Marc Taddei.
It seems typical of Beethoven's humour that he should begin his symphonic career in C major, the simplest key, as though he were asking himself what he could do with this blank canvas.
Critics of the time gave the first symphony a good reception, with the Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung praising its 'considerable art, novelty and wealth of ideas', though the critic mentioned 'the excessive use of wind instruments'. To which Beethoven's response, in his next symphonies, was to feature them even more.
Recorded 13 May 2017, Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington by RNZ Concert
Producer: David McCaw
Engineer: Graham Kennedy
Notes: Erica Challis
