Composer of the Week: Beethoven: In His Own Words

Original version

BBC Radio 3 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced Third Programme.

BBC Radio 3

Radio 3

Migrated podcast image for: Composer Of The Week

Composer of the Week

Music: Classical

Composer of the Week - Brand

An informative guide to composers' lives and their music.

An informative and accessible guide to composers' lives and their music.

Composer of the Week: Beethoven Unleashed: In His Own Words: The Inner Circle

Beethoven Unleashed: In His Own Words

The Inner Circle

BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, Beethoven Unleashed: In His Own Words, The Inner Circle

Donald Macleod explores Beethoven's letters to friends with excerpts read by Adrian Lester

Donald Macleod explores Beethoven's letters to close friends, read by Adrian Lester. Today, Beethoven admits in secret to problems over his hearing, and a petty argument erupts.

Donald Macleod explores the letters Beethoven wrote to three of his closest friends. Today his selection includes a secret admission by Beethoven about his hearing and the details of a petty argument that gets blown out of all proportion. The letters are read by Adrian Lester.

More than 1,770 of Beethoven's letters still survive and, this week, Donald Macleod delves into five different areas of this extensive correspondence. Today, Beethoven writes to three of his close friends. Those who knew him were ready to acknowledge his genius, but they also knew he was quick to fly off the handle so a degree of understanding would be needed. Beethoven met Franz Wegeler when he was 12 years old and still living in Bonn. Wegeler became a highly respected physician, and we find Beethoven asking his advice over his many health problems. One of the last letters he wrote is an affectionate letter to Wegeler, a month or so before he died in March 1827. It is most likely that Wegeler introduced Beethoven to the von Breuning family. Beethoven became very friendly with the whole family, and after one of the sons, Stephan, took up a position in Vienna, their friendship developed even further, although not without the occasional upset along the way. A talented musician and a theologian, Carl Amenda, was someone with whom Beethoven felt able to reveal his most personal thoughts and anxieties.

Music includes: 

arr. Matiegka: Serenade in D, Op 8
IV: Allegretto alla polacca 
Verena Schoneweg, violin
Harald Schoneweg, viola 
Volker Höh, guitar 

Overture to Leonore 
Freiburg Baroque Orchestra 
René Jacobs, conductor 

Violin Sonata No 3 in E flat major, Op 12 No 3 
I: Allegro con spirito
Isabelle Faust, violin 
Alexander Melnikov, piano 

String Quartet No 1 in F major, Op 18 No 1 
IV:  Allegro 
Belcea Quartet

Composer of the Week: Beethoven Unleashed: In His Own Words

Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

Donald Macleod explores Beethoven's letters with excerpts read by Adrian Lester.

More than 1,770 of Beethoven's letters still survive. Donald Macleod delves into five different areas of this extensive collection, with excerpts read by Adrian Lester.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Composer of the Week

Beethoven Unleashed: In His Own Words

The Inner Circle

Genres

Brand

Series

BBC Radio 3

About BBC Radio 3