Longstanding artistic collaborators, the conductor Herbert von Karajan and the Berliner Philharmoniker present a magnificent performance of one of Beethoven’s greatest masterpieces. At the age of 54 in 1824, Beethoven was at the height of his art: he would premiere both his Missa Solemnis and his celebrated Ninth Symphony in the same year! Despite total deafness, it is a testament to the brilliance of his works that they would influence European contemporary composers of all stripes, from Rossini and Schubert to Weber and Liszt. Beethoven suffered from illness constantly beginning in 1825, eventually dying two years later during a violent storm.
Beethoven Cycle – Symphony No. 1
The Berliner Philharmoniker and the exceptional maestro Herbert von Karajan present a beautiful performance of Beethoven’s First Symphony. Premiered in 1800 at Vienna’s Burgtheater, the work is dedicated to one of the composer’s first protectors, the Baron van Swieten. Just 30 years old at the time of the symphony’s composition, the young Beethoven’s work shows the influence of both his admiration for Mozart and his studies with Haydn.