Beethoven Symphony No. 2

Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast

Joshua Weilerstein

Clarinet, Timpani, Performing, Trombone, Cello, Trumpet, Bassoon, Classicalmusic, Performing Arts, Arts, Violin, Flute, Piano, Conductor, Music, Weilerstein

4.9 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 3 May 2021

⏱️ 49 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

We continue the Beethoven cycle this week with his underrated 2nd symphony. Written at the height of Beethoven's despair over his increasing deafness, you might think that the symphony would be a dark and stormy one, but instead Beethoven writes one of his most relentlessly cheerful pieces. He even invented a whole new type of movement called a scherzo (joke) to heighten the mood. How do we account for this incongruity between life and art? We'll talk about all this and more as the journey continues..

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome to Sticky Nuts, the classical music podcast.
0:08.8	My name is Joshua Weilerstein, I'm a conductor and I'm the artistic director of the Lozan
0:12.1	Chamber Orchestra in Lozan, Switzerland, and the music director of the Phoenix Orchestra
0:16.2	in Boston.
0:17.4	This podcast is for anyone who loves classical music, works in the field, or is just getting
0:21.2	ready to dive in to this amazing world of incredible music.
0:25.0	Before we get started, I want to thank my new Patreon sponsors, Heather, Bruce, and
0:28.4	Jennifer, and all of my other Patreon sponsors for making season seven possible.
0:33.1	If you'd like to support the show, please head over to patreon.com slash Sticky Nuts
0:36.6	podcast.
0:37.6	And if you are a fan of the show, please just take a moment to give us a rating or review
0:40.4	on Apple Podcasts.
0:42.2	Every rating or review helps more people find the show, and it is greatly appreciated.
0:46.4	Thanks so much, and onto Beethoven's second symphony.
0:58.4	October 6th, 1802, a letter from Beethoven to his brothers Karl and Johann.
1:28.6	Oh, how harshly was I repulsed by the doubly sad experience of my bad hearing?
1:34.2	And yet it was impossible for me to say to men speak louder, shout, for I am deaf.
1:41.2	How could I possibly admit such an infirmity in the one sense which should have been more
1:46.9	perfect in me than in others?
1:49.6	A sense which I once possessed in highest perfection, a perfection such as few surely
1:55.1	in my profession in joy or have enjoyed.
1:58.1	Oh, I cannot do it.
	...

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