Beethoven 250 | Symphony Series 07: THE HANOVER BAND - BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7 in A Major Op.92

The Hanover Band

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Beethoven 250 | Symphony Series 07: THE HANOVER BAND - BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7 in A Major Op.92 The Hanover Band plays Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 as part of their Beethoven 250 celebrations at Stationer’s Hall. https://twitter.com/TheHanoverBand https://www.instagram.com/thehanoverb... https://www.facebook.com/TheHanoverBand/ Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony was composed between the years 1811 and 1812. It received its first public performance on 8 December 1813 together with the ‘Battle’ Symphony at a benefit concert in aid of Austrian and Bavarian troops wounded at the battle of Hanau. Louis Spohr recalls a later performance of the Seventh Symphony given in the Redoutensaal in Vienna on 29 November 1814: “The concert organised by his friends enjoyed a most brilliant success. The new compositions were exceptionally well received, particularly the Symphony in A major, the wonderful second movement was encored and also made upon me a deep and lasting impression. The execution was a complete masterpiece, in spite of the uncertain and frequently laughable direction of Beethoven”. Beethoven’s hearing by this time had failed him, he could no longer hear the music. At a rehearsal of the Symphony he managed to plough through, however, he was ten to twelve bars in front of the orchestra at the end of the Symphony. The poor man was astonished when he expected the orchestra to be playing fortissimo that it was only pianissimo. “He looked around him in affright, and only recovered himself when at length the long expected forte began, and was audible to himself”. Spohr’s reminiscences give us a dramatic insight into Beethoven’s manner of conducting. Beethoven had accustomed himself to indicate expression to the orchestra by all manner of singular bodily movements. So often as a sforzando occurred, he tore his arms, which he had previously crossed upon his breast, with great vehemence asunder. At piano he crouched down lower and lower as he desired the degree of softness. If a crescendo then entered, he gradually rose again and at the entrance of the forte jumped into the air. Sometimes, too, he unconsciously shouted to strengthen the forte”. ___________________________________________________________________ BEETHOVEN 250 - An online festival of Beethoven’s Symphonic and Chamber Music brought to you by The Hanover Band & Consone Quartet. Recorded during these unprecedented times at Stationers’ Hall in the City of London and the orchestra’s home in Arundel in West Sussex, during August and September 2020, the series celebrates the Orchestra’s 40th Anniversary year and Beethoven’s 250th Birthday. Watch a new performance premiered every week, from Wednesday 23rd September to 16th December 2020, on our website or on The Hanover Band's YouTube channel. For further information and to make a donation to help us continue our work, please visit https://thehanoverband.com/