Composer of the Week: Beethoven: Rock Bottom

Donald Macleod explores Ludwig van Beethoven's life through the years of 1813-1815 - a time of great change throughout Europe as Napoleon was overthrown. For Beethoven, it was undoubtedly the most successful period of his entire career, as he began to receive public recognition for his music at last. However, these years also saw him slump to an artistic nadir as he succumbed to the call for patriotic crowd-pleasers in the wake of this massive political change. Beethoven: Triumphal March for Kuffner's Tarpeja, WoO 2a. Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Thomas Dausgaard (conductor); Trio No 7 in B flat, Op 97, Archduke - I. Allegro Moderato. Leonid Kogan (violin), Emil Gilels (piano), Mstislav Rostropovich (cello); An die Hoffnung, Op 94. Matthias Goerne (baritone), Jan Lisiecki (piano); Quartet IX in C, Op 59'3, Razumovsky - II. Andante con moto quasi Allegretto. Tokyo String Quartet; Incidental Music for the Ruins of Athens - Overture; Chorus of Dervishes; March and Chorus of Schmukt die Altare. Beecham Choral Society, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Thomas Beecham (conductor)