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Beethoven: Funeral march from the "Eroica"

October 21, 2010

"Into the Open: Freedom and Utopia in Music" was the motto of the Beethovenfest 2010. A perfect example is Ludwig van Beethoven's Third Symphony, the "Eroica."

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Undated sketch of German composer Ludwig van Beethoven (AP Photo) (Photo für Kalenderblatt)
Undated sketch of German composer Ludwig van BeethovenImage: AP

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, op. 55 (Eroica), 2nd movement: Marcia funebre. Adagio assai

Bamberg Symphony Orchestra

Conductor: Jonathan Nott

MP3 recorded in the Beethoven Hall, Bonn, on October 3, 2010 by Deutschlandfunk, Cologne (DLF)

Never before had a composer of symphonies availed himself of so many artistic freedoms as did Beethoven in this work, where a struggle for utopian ideals is palpable.

The Bamberg Symphony is an orchestra with an unusual history. It was founded in 1946 by Germans in exile, some former members of the German Philharmonic in Prague, others having fled from Carlsbad and Silesia in the months and years following World War II. The new orchestra quickly earned an excellent reputation. With its extensive touring activities, it acquired the nickname "Bavaria's cultural ambassador to the world."

Former conductors of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra include Joseph Keilberth, James Loughran, Horst Stein and Eugen Jochum. In 2000, British maestro Jonathan Nott took the helm, leading the orchestra from triumph to triumph in Germany and abroad. Nott's trademarks are imaginative programs and an open-minded attitude toward new music.

Autor: Rick Fulker

Editor: Greg Wiser