Symphony, Part 02: (1803 -1850)

November 17, 2025, 7:00 pm

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A modern Orchestra in black and white in a modern symphony hall
A modern Orchestra in black and white in a modern symphony hall

This week, we begin with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2, marking the end of the symphonic Classical period. From there, Bill will guide us through the next 50 years, showing how composers expanded the orchestra’s size and found new ways to express stories and emotions. As our journey continues, we listen to Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony from 1803, move forward with symphonic works by Berlioz, Mendelssohn, and Schubert, and conclude with Schumann’s Rhenish Symphony. We will enjoy performances by the Vienna Philharmonic, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.


Playlist

Episode 1

Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 2 (excerpt)
Vienna Phil/Rattle
Symphony No. 2
EMI 57445
1:01

Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 2 (excerpt)
Vienna Phil/Rattle
Symphony No. 2
EMI 60872
0:57

Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 3 (excerpt)
Vienna Phil/Rattle
Symphony No. 2
EMI 60872
0:57

Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 3 (excerpt)
Vienna Phil/Rattle
Symphony No. 2
EMI 60872
0:57

Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 3 (excerpt)
Vienna Phil/Rattle
Symphony No. 2
EMI 60872
1:50

Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 3 (excerpt)
Vienna Phil/Rattle
Symphony No. 2
EMI 60872
1:15

Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 3 (excerpt)
Vienna Phil/Rattle
Symphony No. 2
EMI 60872
1:15

Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 3 (excerpt)
Vienna Phil/Rattle
Symphony No. 2
EMI 60872
16:13

Cherubini, Luigi: Symphony in D Major (excerpt)
NBC Symphony Orchestra/ Toscanini
Symphony No. 2
EMI 60872
6:00

Spohr, Louis: Symphony No. 2 in d minor, III
Singapore Symphony Orch/Hoey
LACHNER, F.P.: Symphony No. 1 / SPOHR, L.: Symphony No. 2
Marco Polo 8.220360
4:44

Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 3, II
Vienna Phil/Rattle
Symphony No. 2
EMI 60872
15:09

Episode 2

Schubert, Franz: Symphony No. 5 in Bb Major, I
Salzburg Mozarteum Camerata Academica/Végh
Schubert: Symphonies No 5 & 6
Capriccio 10535
7:16

Schubert, Franz: Symphony No. 5 in Bb Major, II (excerpt)
Salzburg Mozarteum Camerata Academica/Végh
Schubert: Symphonies No 5 & 6
Capriccio 10535
3:26

Schubert, Franz: Symphony No. 8 in B minor, “Unfinished,” I.
Vienna Phil/Kleiber
Schubert: Symphonies 3 & 8 / Kleiber, Wiener Philharmoniker
DG 449745
13:54

Schubert, Franz: Symphony No. 9 in C Major, Great, opening
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Abbado
Schubert: Symphony no 9, Rosamunde Overture
DG 423656
1:40

Schubert, Franz: Symphony No. 9 in C Major, Great, opening
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Abbado
Schubert: Symphony no 9, Rosamunde Overture
DG 423656
1:14

Schubert, Franz: Symphony No. 9 in C Major, Great, II.
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Abbado
Schubert: Symphony no 9, Rosamunde Overture
DG 423656
19:26

Lennon/McCartney: Blackbird (excerpt)
The Beatles
The Beatles
EMI 46443
0:16

Schubert, Franz: Symphony No. 9, IV excerpt
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Abbado
Schubert: Symphony no 9, Rosamunde Overture
DG 423656
2:20

Schubert, Franz: Symphony No. 9, IV Finale
Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Abbado
Schubert: Symphony no 9, Rosamunde Overture
DG 423656
4:01

Episode 3

Berlioz, Hector: Symphonie Fantastique, I (excerpts)
BSO/Munch
Symphonie Fantastique RCA 68979
RCA 68979
3:02

Berlioz, Hector: Symphonie Fantastique, I (excerpts)
BSO/Munch
Symphonie Fantastique RCA 68979
RCA 68979
3:28

Berlioz, Hector: Harold in Italy (excerpt)
Nat’l Orchestra of France/Bernstein; McInnes, viola
Berlioz: Harold En Italie, Ouvertures
EMI 64745
0:40

Berlioz, Hector: Harold in Italy
Nat’l Orchestra of France/Bernstein; McInnes, viola
Berlioz: Harold En Italie, Ouvertures
EMI 64745
14:54

Berlioz, Hector: Roméo et Juliette: Queen Mab Scherzo
Philadelphia Orch/Muti
Symphonie Fantastique
EMI 75570
7:56

Berlioz, Hector: Symphonie Fantastique, III. & IV. Excerpts
CSO/Solti
Symphonie Fantastique / Les Préludes
Lon 436839
15:22

Berlioz, Hector: Grande Symphonie Funèbre et Triomphale, III (excerpt)
LSO/Davis
Berlioz: Great Orchestral Works
Phil 442290
3:23

Episode 4

Mendelssohn, Felix: String Symphony No. 1 in C Major, II
English String Orchestra/Boughton
Mendelssohn: Complete String Symphonies Vol 1
Nimbus 5141
2:12

Mendelssohn, Felix: Symphony No. 1 in C Major, II. Andante
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orch/Masur
Mendelssohn: The Complete Symphonies, The Complete String Symphonies
Teldec 44933
5:16

Mendelssohn, Felix: Symphony No. 5 in Bb Major, IV
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orch/Masur
Mendelssohn: The Complete Symphonies, The Complete String Symphonies
Teldec 44933
7:37

Berlioz, Hector: Harold in Italy (excerpt)
Nat’l Orchestra of France/Bernstein; McInnes, viola
Berlioz: Harold En Italie, Ouvertures
EMI 64745
1:30

Mendelssohn, Felix: Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Italian, II
CSO/Solti
Mendelssohn: Symphonies No 3 & 4
Lon 414665
6:45

Mendelssohn, Felix: Symphony No. 4, VI. Finale
Marlboro Festival Orc/Casals
Marlboro Fest 40th Anniversary – Mendelssohn: Symphony No 4
Sony 46251
6:23

Mendelssohn, Felix: Symphony No. 3 (excerpts)
Berlin Phil/ Levine
Mendelssohn: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4
DG 427670
17:35

Mendelssohn, Felix: Symphony No. 3 Finale
Berlin Phil/ Levine
Mendelssohn: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4
DG 427670
2:49

Episode 5

Schumann, Robert: Symphony in G minor, Zwickau, I.
Radio Symphony Orchestra of Stuttgart/Marriner
Schumann: Symphony No. 2 & Zwickauer
Capriccio 10094
2:09

Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 1 in Bb Major, Spring, I.
Cleveland Orch/Szell
Heritage Schumann: The Four Symphonies
Sony 62349
9:51

Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 4 in D minor (excerpt)
Cleveland Orch/Szell
Heritage Schumann: The Four Symphonies
Sony 62349
0:32

Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 4 in D minor (excerpt)
Cleveland Orch/Szell
Heritage Schumann: The Four Symphonies
Sony 62349
0:50

Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 4 in D minor (excerpt)
Cleveland Orch/Szell
Heritage Schumann: The Four Symphonies
Sony 62349
3:32

Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 4 in D minor (excerpt)
Cleveland Orch/Szell
Heritage Schumann: The Four Symphonies
Sony 62349
2:00

Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 2 in C Major (excerpt)
Philharmonia Orch/Klemperer
Schumann: Symphonies Nos. 1-4
EMI 7 63613
1:08

Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 2 in C Major (excerpt)
Philharmonia Orch/Klemperer
Schumann: Symphonies Nos. 1-4
EMI 7 63613
1:15

Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 2 in C Major (excerpt)
Philharmonia Orch/Klemperer
Schumann: Symphonies Nos. 1-4
EMI 7 63613
8:33

Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Rhenish (excerpts)
Berlin Phil/Levine
Schumann: Symphonien Nos 2 & 3
DG 423625
9:42

Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Rhenish (excerpts)
Berlin Phil/Levine
Schumann: Symphonien Nos 2 & 3
DG 423625
0:19

Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Rhenish (excerpts)
Berlin Phil/Levine
Schumann: Symphonien Nos 2 & 3
DG 423625
6:35

Schumann, Robert: Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Rhenish (excerpts)
Berlin Phil/Levine
Schumann: Symphonien Nos 2 & 3
DG 423625
2:08

Brahms, Johannes: Symphony No. 3, I (excerpt)
Berlin Phil/Karajan
Symphony no. 3 in F major, op.90
DG 427496
2:08