The Beethoven Files Podcast: Recent Episodes
Terence J. O'Grady
Ever wanted to take a closer look at the music of Beethoven? The Beethoven Files might make that a little easier. This podcast takes a look at some of the composer's most interesting and famous works.
We’ll look at Beethoven’s last great public work, the Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125, completed in 1824.
We’ll look at Beethoven’s final three string quartets: No. 13 in B-flat Major, No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, and No. 16 in F Major.
We’ll focus on the first two of Beethoven’s five late string quartets: the String Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 127, and the String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 132.
We’ll look at Beethoven’s final three piano sonatas: No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109 (1820); No. 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110 (1822); and No. 32 in C Minor, Op. 111 (1822).
We’ll focus on two piano sonatas, No. 28 in A Major, Op. 101, composed in 1816, and No. 29 in B-flat Major, Op. 106 (“Hammerklavier”) completed two years later.
We’ll look at Beethoven’s last two cello sonatas: Cello Sonata No. 4 in C Major, Op. 102, No. 1, and Cello Sonata No. 5 in D Major, Op. 102, No. 2.
We’re going to focus on the song cycle “An die ferne Geliebte,” Op. 98, but also take a quick look at two songs from Beethoven’s settings of Scottish songs from Op. 108.
We’ll focus on the “Serioso” String Quartet, No. 11 in F Minor. Op. 95 (1810-1811), and the “Archduke” Piano Trio, B-flat Major, Op. 97 (1815).
We’ll focus on the overture and a varied selection of movements from Beethoven’s incidental music for Goethe’s Egmont, Op. 84, completed in 1810.
We’ll focus on piano sonatas No. 26 in E-flat Major, Op. 81a, completed in 1810, and No. 27 in E Minor, Op. 90, completed in 1814.
We’re going to focus on Piano Sonata No. 24 in F-sharp Major, Op. 78, and Piano Sonata No. 25 in G Major, Op. 79, but we’ll also take a quick look at the two piano sonatinas of Op. 49.
We’ll look at Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat Major, Op. 74, completed in 1809 and nicknamed the “Harp” quartet.
We’ll look at Beethoven’s fifth and final piano concerto, the so-called “Emperor” Concerto in E-flat Major, Op. 73.
We’ll look at the two piano trios of Op. 70: No. 1, the famous “Ghost” Trio in D Major, and No. 2, the less famous but still interesting Trio in E-flat Major.
We’ll look at Beethoven’s highly unusual Choral Fantasy, Op. 80, and his Cello Sonata No. 3 in A Major, Op. 69.
We’ll look at the Coriolan Overture, Op. 62 (1807), and Wellington’s Victory, Op. 91 (1813).
We’ll look at String Quartet in F Major, Op. 59, No. 1, and String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 59, No. 2.
We’ll look at the Piano Sonata in F Minor, No. 23, Op. 57, the famous “Appassionata” sonata.
We’ll look at Beethoven’s Triple Concerto for violin, cello and piano soloists and orchestra), Op. 56.
We’ll look at the famous Waldstein Sonata in C Major, Op. 53, and the Sonata No. 22 in F Major, Op. 54.
We’ll look at some of Beethoven’s early lieder (art songs) including the collection from Op. 52, the Gellert Lieder of Op. 48, and the song “Adelaide.”
In the two Romances for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 40 in G Major and Op. 50 in F Major, we encounter not the innovative Beethoven, but rather the creator of graceful and attractive works designed to please performer and audience alike.
We’ll focus on Beethoven’s “Kreutzer” Sonata for Violin and Piano, with a little bit of the backstory concerning two well-known violinists of the day—George Augustus Bridgetower and Rodolphe Kreutzer, along with one great 19th century Russian author—Leo Tolstoy.
We’ll focus on Beethoven’s “Eroica” or “Prometheus” Variations, Op. 35, but also take a quick look at three of the bagatelles from Op. 33.
We’ll look at two piano sonatas from Op. 31: No. 2 in D Minor (“Tempest”) and No. 3 in E-flat Major (“Hunt”).
We’ll focus on the Violin Sonata in A Major, Op. 30, No. 1, and the Violin Sonata in C Minor, Op. 30, No. 2.
We’ll focus on Piano Sonata No. 15 in D Major, Op. 28, and String Quintet in C Major, Op. 29.
We’ll look at Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 4 in A Minor, Op. 23, and No. 5 in F Major, Op. 24, the “Spring” Sonata.
We’ll look at String Quartet No. 4 in C Minor, No. 5 in A Major and No. 6 in B-flat Major.
We’ll focus on Beethoven’s Quintet, Op. 16, for piano, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon, but also look at selected movements from the Septet, Op. 20, for violin, viola, cello, double bass, clarinet, horn and bassoon.
We’ll look at Beethoven’s Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15, and Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 19.
We’ll focus on the Cello Sonata in F Major, Op. 5, No. 1 and the String Trio in G Major, Op. 9, No. 1.
We’ll look at two of the sonatas from Op. 2: Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, and Sonata No. 3 in C Major.
We’ll look at Beethoven’s early cantatas: the Cantata on the Death of Emperor Joseph II, WoO87, and the Cantata on the Accession of Emperor Leopold II, WoO88.
We’ll look at two of Beethoven’s early piano quartets: No. 1 in E-flat, WoO36, and No. 2 in D, WoO36.
We'll look at Beethoven's last great public work--Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125, completed in 1824.
We'll look at Beethoven's final three string quartets: No. 13 in B-flat Major, No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, and No. 16 in F Major.
We'll focus on the first two of Beethoven's five late string quartets: the String Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 127, and the String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 132.
We'll look at Beethoven's final three piano sonatas: No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109 (1820); No. 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110 (1822); and No. 32 in C Minor, Op. 111 (1822).
We'll focus on two piano sonatas, No. 28 in A major, Op 101 composed in 1816, and No. 29 in Bb major, Op 106 ("Hammerklavier"), completed two years later.
We'll look at Beethoven's last two cello sonatas: Cello sonata No. 4 in C Major, Op. 102, No.1, and Cello Sonata No. 5 in D Major, Op. 102, No. 2. both completed in 1815.
We're going to focus on the song cycle "An die ferne Geliebte," Op. 98, but also take a quick look at two songs from Beethoven's settings of Scottish songs from Op. 108.
We'll focus on the "Serioso" String Quartet, No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 95
(1810-1811), and the "Archduke" Piano Trio, B-flat Major, Op. 97 (1815).
We'll focus on the overture and a selection of varied movements from Beethoven's incidental music for Goethe's Egmont, Op. 84, completed in 1810.
We'll focus on Piano Sonatas No. 26 in E-flat Major, Op. 81a, completed in 1810, and No. 27 in E Minor, Op. 90, completed in 1814.
We’re going to focus on Piano Sonata No. 24 in F# Major, Op. 78, and Piano Sonata No. 25 in G Major, Op 79, but we’ll also take a quick look at the two piano sonatinas of Op. 49.
We'll look at Beethoven's String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat Major, Op. 74, completed in 1809 and nicknamed the "Harp" quartet.
We'll look at Beethoven's fifth and final piano concerto, the so-called "Emperor" Concerto in E-flat Major, Op. 73.
We'll look at the two piano trios of Op. 70: No. 1, the famous "Ghost" Trio in D Major, and No. 2, the less famous but still very interesting Trio in E-flat Major.
We'll look at Beethoven's highly unusual Choral Fantasy, Op. 80, and his Cello Sonata No. 3 in A Major, Op. 69.
We'll look at the Coriolan Overture, Op. 62 (1807) and Wellington's Victory, Op. 91 (1813).
We'll look at String Quartet in F Major, Op. 59, No. 1 and String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 59, No. 2.
We’ll look at the Piano Sonata in F Minor, No. 23, Op. 57, the famous “Appassionata” sonata.
We’ll look at Beethoven’s Triple Concerto in C Major (for violin, cello and piano soloists and orchestra), Op. 56.
We’ll look at the famous Waldstein Sonata in C Major, Op. 53 and the Sonata No. 22 in F Major, Op. 54.
We'll look at some of Beethoven's early lieder (art songs) including the collection from Op, 52, the Gellert Lieder of Op. 48, and the the song "Adelaide,"
In the two Romances for Violin and orchestra, Op. 40 in G Major and Op. 50 in F Major, we encounter not the innovative Beethoven, but rather the creator of graceful and attractive works designed to please performer and audiences alike.
We'll focus on Beethoven's "Kreutzer" Sonata for Violin and Piano with a little bit of the backstory concerning two well-known violinists of the day--George Augustus Bridgetower and Rodolphe Kreutzer, along with one great 19th century Russian author-- Leo Tolstoy.
We’ll focus on Beethoven’s “Eroica” or “Prometheus” Variations, Op. 36, but also take a quick look at three of the bagatelles from Op. 33.
We’ll look at two piano sonatas from Op. 31: No. 2 in D minor (“Tempest”) and No. 3 in E-flat Major (“Hunt”).
We’ll focus on the Violin Sonata in A Major, Op, 30, No. 1, and the Violin Sonata in C Minor, Op. 30, No. 2.
We’ll focus on Piano Sonata No. 15 in D Major, Op. 28 ("Pastoral"), but also take a look at the String Quintet in C Major, Op. 29 ("Storm").
We’ll focus on Op. 27, No. 1 in E-flat Major, and No. 2 in C-sharp minor, (“Moonlight”).
We’ll look at Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 4 in A minor, Op. 23, and No. 5 in F major. Op. 24, the “Spring” Sonata.
We’ll look at String Quartet No. 4 in C Minor, No. 5 in A Major and No. 6 in B-flat Major.
We’ll focus on Beethoven’s Quintet, Op. 16, for piano, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon, but also look at selected movements from the Septet, Op. 20, for violin, viola, cello, double bass, clarinet, horn and bassoon.
We’ll look at Beethoven’s Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15, and Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 19.
We'll focus on the Cello Sonata in F Major, Op. 5, No.1 and the String Trio in G Major, Op. 9, No. 1.
We’re going to look at two of the piano sonatas from Beethoven’s Op. 2: Sonata No. 1 in F minor, and Sonata No. 3 in C Major.
We'll look at Beethoven's early cantatas: the Cantata on the Death of Emperor Joseph II, WoO87; and the Cantata on the Accession of Emperor Leopold II, WoO88.
We'll look at two of Beethoven's early piano quartets: No. 1 in E-flat, WoO 36; and No. 2 in D. WoO 36.
After a brief overview of the young Beethoven’s world, we’ll look at some of his early music for piano including: Nine Variations on a March by Dressler, (WoO 63), his first published work; A Rondo in C major (WoO48); Thirteen variations on “Es war einmal ein alter Mann” by Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf (WoO48); and Nine Variations on “God Save the King” (WoO78).