Beethoven Symphony No. 5

Beethoven Symphony No. 5

Author: Joshua Weilerstein August 1, 2024 Duration: 1:05:06
Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast
MusicArtsPerforming

They are the most famous 8 notes in not only Western Music, but probably in all of music. If you walk down the street and ask someone to name a painting, they might say the Mona Lisa.  A movie?  Maybe Star Wars.  A piece of classical music?  Certainly, it would be Beethoven 5.  But why?  What makes those 8 notes so arrestingly powerful?  Well, this week, we're going to take a deep look at this ubiquitous piece, exploring lots of different questions.  What inspired Beethoven to write such a piece (a hint here, it probably wasn't fate knocking at the door)?  How was this symphony different from everything that came before it?  What influence did it have on composers of the future?  What are the OTHER 3 movements of the symphony like, since many people only know the first movement?  This symphony is monumentally important because in many ways it serves as the fulcrum between the classical and romantic eras. It is the most quoted piece of classical music there is, and it remains the most played symphony in the world. Today on this show from the archives, we're going to be exploring this symphony including new material that includes discoveries I've made about the symphony only in the last year or so, including the impact that the French Revolution had on the conception of this symphony. Join us!


There’s a particular kind of curiosity that draws people to classical music, but the sheer scale of the repertoire can feel overwhelming. Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast, hosted by conductor Joshua Weilerstein, meets that curiosity right where it is. Think of it as a series of open conversations about the music itself, designed to be equally engaging for someone hearing a symphony for the first time and for a lifelong devotee. Episodes might feature a thoughtful interview with a performing artist, offering a glimpse behind the curtain, or they could focus entirely on a single piece, peeling back its layers to explore why it resonates. Weilerstein guides these explorations with clarity and enthusiasm, moving seamlessly from foundational concepts to more nuanced details about different musical eras. The entire premise of this podcast is built on a genuine belief that this music belongs to all of us. It’s about replacing any sense of intimidation with connection and understanding. While past seasons are gradually being re-released, each episode stands as its own invitation to listen more deeply.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 284

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Mozart Piano Concerto No. 24 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:00
Imagine writing a concerto that prompted Beethoven to remark to a friend: "we'll never be able to write anything like that. Or a piece that prompted Brahms to call it: "a masterpiece of art, full of inspiration and ideas…
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Mahler once said this to Bruno Walter, his protege and great advocate of Mahler's works: "What one makes music from is still the whole—that is the feeling, thinking, breathing, suffering, human being" You could almost ju…
Mahler Symphony No. 9, Part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:28
It's easy to forget that Mahler, for all of his ubiquitous success nowadays, was much better known as a conductor during his life than as a composer. He had basically one major success in his compositional career: a perf…
Mahler Symphony No. 9, Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:39
Remember where we ended in the first movement of Mahler's 9th symphony? After a 27 minute farewell which touched on the two poles of rage and acceptance, while filling in every conceivable emotion in between, we ended in…
Mahler Symphony No. 9, Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:21
Two events, occurring on the same day, drove Mahler to the brink. His daughter Maria died at the age of just 4, and Mahler himself was diagnosed with a heart condition that would prove to be fatal. He became consumed eve…
Shostakovich String Quartet No. 4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:20
Shostakovich is one of the easiest composers to do podcasts about because his life and his music is full of such incredible stories. But as easy as it is, it's also complicated. Shostakovich's music is sometimes heard as…
Barber Adagio For Strings [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:21
Barber's Adagio seems to access a deep well of sadness, heartache, passion, and nostalgia in the listener that is very difficult to explain. As dozens of commentators have noted, there is nothing in particular in the pie…
Schubert Symphony No. 8, "Unfinished" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:27
There are many reasons why Schubert's Unfinished Symphony remains a mystery to this day - the literally unfinished form, the unusual way of the symphony's emergencee into public consciousness, and probably most important…
Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:43
Brahms' two piano concertos could not possibly be any more different. The first, written when Brahms was just 25, is dramatic, stormy, and impulsive. This makes sense seeing at it was written practically as a direct resp…

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