MTT surveys Beethoven’s early works which foretell the brilliance to come. At the age of 20, Beethoven wrote a plangent funeral cantata for the arts-minded “Musical King.” In the rarely heard, angelic Sonatina, the mandolin seems to morph from soulful Russian balalaika to carefree Bluegrass ukulele. The playful, upbeat Second Symphony, completed in October 1802, contrasts with the agonized letter Beethoven wrote the same month, lamenting that his encroaching deafness necessitated his withdrawal from society.
“Mumford has a lush, open, attractive sound, with an inviting forward placement.” —OPERA NEWS
Conductor/Performers
conductor
soprano
mezzo-soprano
tenor
bass-baritone
mandolin
fortepiano
piano
San Francisco Symphony and Chorus
Program
All sound clips are from San Francisco Symphony performances and are used with permission of the SFS Players Committee.
Concert length is approximately 2 hours.
Podcasts
Beethoven's Symphony No. 2