Beethoven - Symphony No. 5 (Proms 2012) 

“To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable.” ― Ludwig van Beethoven

What a privilege to live in an age in which we can get this whole experience with a click. What magnificent music

Some guy who died hundreds of years ago can still make me feel such powerful emotions... Music can be quite powerful indeed

I’d like to add a tribute to the video director and the video editor, who aren’t even quoted. They show exactly the instrument when it becomes significant in the symphony. They are also artists.

imagine being in the audience the first time this was ever performed, with the King and all the other nobles around, all the wealthy men of means and beautifully dressed women. It must have been an overwhelming experience.

The conductor is so good that even the sneeze is synced.

Beethoven's 5th Symphony is one of the most famous and influential works of classical music. It was composed between 1804 and 1808, at the same time as his 6th Symphony, and was dedicated to Prince Franz Joseph von Lobkowitz and Count Andrey Razumovsky. The symphony was premiered on December 22, 1808, at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna, as part of a marathon concert that also included his 6th Symphony, his 4th Piano Concerto, parts of his Mass in C major, and his Choral Fantasy. The symphony consists of four movements: an Allegro con brio, an Andante con moto, a Scherzo: Allegro, and an Allegro. The symphony is also known by the nickname "Fate Symphony", because of the famous four-note motif that opens the first movement and recurs throughout the work. The motif has been interpreted as a representation of fate knocking at the door, or as a symbol of Beethoven's struggle with his deafness and his artistic vision. The first movement is a fast and fiery Allegro con brio, which follows the sonata form. It begins with the four-note motif played by the full orchestra, followed by a contrasting lyrical theme. The development section explores various keys and variations of the motifs, before the recapitulation returns to the main themes. The movement ends with a powerful coda that repeats the opening motif. The second movement is a slow and lyrical Andante con moto, which follows a variation form. It begins with a simple melody played by the violas and cellos, over a pulsating accompaniment by the second violins. The melody is then varied by different instruments and sections of the orchestra, creating contrast and interest. The movement has a serene and graceful mood. The third movement is a fast and playful Scherzo: Allegro, which follows a ternary form. It begins with a lively theme played by the strings in unison, followed by a contrasting trio section that features a dialogue between the woodwinds and the strings. The scherzo section returns and leads to a surprising transition to the final movement. The fourth movement is a fast and triumphant Allegro, which follows a sonata form. It begins with a fanfare-like theme played by the brass and timpani, followed by a joyful melody played by the strings. The development section builds up tension and excitement, before the recapitulation returns to the main themes. The movement ends with a brilliant coda that combines elements from all four movements and concludes with a series of fortissimo chords. Beethoven's 5th Symphony is a masterpiece of musical innovation and expression. It shows his mastery of orchestration and his ability to create powerful emotions with music. The symphony has inspired many composers and musicians, and has become a symbol of freedom and resilience.

Imagine producing music that is still listened to 100s of years later. That is true artistry.

Can we take a minute to appreciate the fact that Barenboim has no sheet of music and performs the whole piece from memory?

I was going to play this in the background while doing work, but I ended up just sitting here for half an hour listening and not getting anything done.

Beethoven, you are the greatest composer of all time. The 2nd movement is a picture of man's helplessness against his overpowering destiny. Then the rise up and march to victory. Grand! Awesome! Thank you Beethoven for changing the direction of my life forever.

Imagine writing the music for each instrument and only being able to imagine how it all sounds together in your head until you actually hear it played. And it actually sounds amazing. Humans really were (and still are in different ways) amazing.

It's hard to comprehend how UNBELIEVABLY good each individual is at their own instrument. The thousands of hours each one had to put in just to be a MINOR part of this magnificence.....

That moment at 5:39, when the second theme returns in C major, is played by both bassoons and horns. In the original version of Beethoven's 5th symphony, this was actually a change from horn to bassoon, made not for an asthetic reason, but rather to solve a practical problem: lacking necessary valves, horns were primitive in Beethoven's time, and could not switch from E-flat to C. Horns of that time could not play a fanfare in C major, and that's the reason why Beethoven assigned the passage to the bassoons, who play this passage in the tenor range. Nowadays conductors assign the C major horn call to both modern horns and bassoons, and why no re-orchestration? Why still the bassoon? Because that's the way Beethoven wrote it, and nobody dares changing the score.

Only this man can fight Voldemort

can you imagine life without this every having been composed? im a heavy metal head of the 80s and even i come back here and appreciate the sheer magnitude of such a piece of art and a master piece of humanity

8:00 The moment they stop playing everyone starts coughing like they have bronchitis...

The 2nd movement is seriously underrated. It has to be one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written.

Such beautiful music 🎶 🎵.. playing past midnight in my home in Accra Ghana 🇬🇭 ❤️ in West Africa. July 2023...this soothes

This was the first symphony that I was able to appreciate in its entirety. Every movement, every moment, is sublime.

1st movement 0:00 2nd movement 8:26 3rd movement 19:13 4th movement 24:35

The good old times where coughing is still not like a killer.

As long as there are humans, there will be some who sacrifice their life to show others the beauty of art as these people do. One can only be thankful.

L' avro' ascoltata cento volte , non mi stanchero' mai di ripeterla!

Here is a very detailed explanation of this song (which i took like 2 hours writing ;-;) This song was written by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1807-1808, and its genre is symphony. The performing forces is symphony orchestra. For the first movement, the key is in C minor, and it is a sonata form. The tempo is allegro con brio, and the meter is 2/4. In the exposition, the first theme has the four-note motive, and it is comprised of a short-short-short-long rhythm. It is stated in unison by clarinets and strings, and the descending third is repeated sequentially a step lower. The fermatas arrest the forward drive of this theme, generating tension and restless character. The first theme grows out of this initial statement, repeated sequentially in a series of descending statements. In the bridge, the music grows out of the first theme and it is played fortissimo by the French horns. It is unusually short and it modulates abruptly to the new key. In the second theme, the new key is E flat major and it is played by the first violins and woodwinds. The piano and legato phrases create contrast and the rhythm of the four-note motive in the cellos and basses provides a persistent background to this lyrical first theme. In the Codetta, the first-theme material dominates the codetta, punctuating the close of the exposition with decisive authentic cadences. In the development, it opens boldly with the French horns and it draws principally on the first theme. The tension is generated by the use of several techniques, including manipulation and breaking down of the four-note figures, filling-in of the interval of a third, inversion of the motive, and expansion of the passage through forceful repetition. There are abrupt dynamic contrasts contribute to the dramatic energy and at the end of the development, tension builds through repetitions of the basic theme played fortissimo by the full orchestra in union. In the recapitulation, the first theme returns, followed by a short, melancholy oboe solo played freely, in an improvisatory manner. The bridge follows, and it is altered to stay in the tonic key. The second theme returns surprisingly in C major, not C minor as expected. The codetta is also in C major, followed by a lengthy coda that restores C minor, while it continues to fragment and expand on the first theme, much like a development section. The key for the second movement is A flat major, and its form is two themes with variations. The tempo is andante con moto, and the meter is 3/8. In the first theme, it grows out of an ascending broken tonic triad in the low strings. It is characterized by elegant dotted rhythms, and it is marked dolce and played legato. In the second theme, the woodwinds and violins present this new theme marked dolce and legato. It begins in A flat major, but shifts bodily to C major in bar 32, featuring brass instruments playing ff. In the first variation, the first theme is in smooth, running sixteenth notes. The second theme follows unchanged. In the second variation, the first theme returns in running thirty-second notes. For the third variation, the first theme is in contrary motion and suddenly, without preparation, the second theme recurs in C major. In the fourth variation, the first theme is played in A flat in a clipped, march-like fasion. For the Coda, it is marked piu mosso, and the bassoons begin, playing first-theme material. The key for the third movement is C minor, and it is ternary form. The scherzo and trio replace the traditional menuet and trio. The tempo is allegro, and the meter is 3/4. In the Scherzo, from the first theme, the rocket theme is initiated by the low strings and it is played pp. For the second theme, the bold subsidiary theme is played forte by the French horns and it recalls the short-short-short-long rhythm from the first movement. Fermatas are added to the mood of mystery and surprise. For the Trio, the key is C major and it features woodwinds and strings. The double basses also take the leading role. There is imitative texture and it is playful, energetic character that contrasts with the dark scherzo. After the scherzo returns, the first theme is abbreviated. The second theme returns pianissimo, played now by pizzicato strings and staccato winds. The suspense is achieved at the end of the movement by a deceptive cadence that leads into a transitional passage. The timpani play the short-short-short-long rhythm softly, and a blazing crescendo lead directly into the final movement. The key for the fourth movement is C major and it is sonata form. The tempo is allegro, and the meter is 4/4. In the Exposition for the first theme, the theme outlines the tonic chord, and the ff trumpets add a majestic touch. For the bridge, it features French horns and it leads to G major. For the second theme, a new triplet figure introduces a vigorous theme. The theme ascends in a stepwise motion, echoed by descending figures. There are also dramatic contrasts between ff and p, and it also contains the short-short-short-long motive. For the Codetta, the woodwinds and violas initiate the codetta, and the codetta theme descends in four-note fragments. The development is based on the second theme material: inverted, expanded, and treated imitatively between instruments. Toward the end of the development, the scherzo theme is unexpectedly recalled, now pp, played gently by woodwinds and pizzicato strings. There is also extended dominant preparation on the note G that leads into the recapitulation. For the recapitulation, all the musical material returns but remains in C major. In the coda, the piccolo stands out above the orchestra, playing rapid ascending scales. At the Presto, the codetta theme is played quickly, leading to a bold and dramatic conclusion. The final tonic chord is reiterated eight times.

Coughing movements: First movement: 7:59-8:30 Second movement: 18:31-19:15

This is an epic recording of Beethoven’s fifth symphony. I think think this is the best recording I’ve ever listened to, what a brilliant conductor and fantastic orchestra 👍👍

The director conducted this from memory. Amazing!

JUST THE WORLD'S MOST SICK AND COUGHING AUDIENCE OF ALL TIME

1 - Allegro con brio , 00:04 2 - Andante con moto, 08:30 3 - Scherzo. Allegro, 19:15 (21:11, Contrabasses finally receive their day in the sun) 4 - Allegro, 24:41

The transition from the third movement to the unbridled exuberance of the last movement is pure genius.

The passage from the 3rd to the 4th movement, from mystery/uncertainty to triumph is one of the most sublimely executed passages I've ever heard. It's just so earned

I admire Ludwig Van Beethoven, his genius, and his music. His symphonies are the epitome of musical power and beauty.

2:49 Oh this is my favorite gesture "Get out of my lawn!!!"

Just because a piece of music is the most famous piece of all time, does NOT mean you should avoid it. It is famous for a reason.. YOU play it BETTER than everyone else.

Nagyon szép megrázó élmény volt. Gratulálok. Köszönöm.Györgyné Almási🥲❤🖤👏

A friend once asked why an orchestra needed a conductor. I directed her to this video.

I recall that Rubinstein once said "They come to my concert instead of seeing a doctor."

Daniel barenboin donne toutes ses forces et impulse la puissance alternant à la délicatesse ...magistral ...la passion est en chacun et se cumule .

Questa orchestra è fantastica e Baremboim la dirige in maniera straordinaria,con padronanza assoluta , rallenta, accelera ,come stesse guidando un'auto.

My respect to the people who endure their coughs until each piece ends.

Another attempt to make it more clear: 1st movement 0:00 2nd movement 8:26 3rd movement 19:12 4th movement 24:36

Without know classic or learning at all since 25yrs old I heared from a radio first then deeply fascinated untill 68yrs now. I am so lucky person to know these kinds of music and taste daily in my life. Also keen to watch operas have opera dvds and download almost 500 productions.

I've listened to this piece multiple times, and it never loses its charm. 🎼 It's like a timeless gem in the world of music, and I can't help but appreciate the artistry behind it. 🌟👏

Every time I listen to Beethoven I feel more alive, younger, refreshed, energised. His music is life enhancing - literally.

Orchestra: Sounding beautiful My wireless headphones: *rEcHaRgE bAtTeRy*

Could you even begin to imagine what this would have felt like to experience for the first time in person?! It’s one thing to hear over the phone or with headphones but the sheer amount of passion, energy and talented artist who were the best in the world at that specific instrument were able to produce such intoxicating music must have been the best drug ever to experience back in those times!! No wonder they had marathons of concerts! People traveled from all across the world to be in the same room and experience such raw emotions through sounds that could only be truly appreciated through physical presence. Stuff like this makes you feel how truly lucky we are to be alive in this very moment.

2nd mov is criminally underrated

I merely tap the screen on my phone, anytime, anywhere, day or night, and I can sit and watch them perform one of the greatest pieces of all time. We’re lucky, you and I.

This is wonderful that it’s available on RU-vid. Thanks. However, I must tell anyone who will listen. I went to several symphonies as a kid and let me tell you there is nothing as stirring and powerful as a live symphony playing in front of you. The live experience is breathtaking at times and stunning at others. It’s like a layer upon layer of 3 Dimensional sound enveloping you. I was in shock the first time I experienced the sound whirling around me. It was better than any Headphones 🎧 or earbuds I ever heard. I highly recommend you attend one performance at least in your lifetime. You won’t regret it. If you love Stereo sound, the symphony is the best! And no, I’m not rich. My piano teacher gave me her tickets because she couldn’t go for some reason. Wonderful lady and teacher!

A great Symphony, a fantastic expression of the great Beethoven... You have been and will always remain number one!!!

Fantastic! My favorite pianist conducting one of my favorite pieces of music. If I see Daniel Barenboim I know it's going to be well done.

1 - A00:04 / 2주제 5:41 2 - Andante con moto, 08:30 3 - Scherzo. Allegro, 19:15 / 3악장 주제 21:11 (21:11, Contrabasses finally receive their day in the sun) 4 - Allegro, 24:41 / 2주제 25:42

NEVER has there been music like this... STUPENDOUS! MAGNIFICENT! BEYOND DESCRIPTION! BRAVO, LUDWIG!

The sneeze at 0:18 is magical

Beethoven summarized life of a Human with this piece

Allegro con brio - 00:05 Andante con moto - 08:30 Scherzo. Allegro - 19:15 Allegro - 24:01

I am an African American woman who appreciates this so much! Very much indeed! Well rounded- yes and I am a musician, single mom, and career oriented still trying to complete my dash of life. Thank God for The Carver Creative and Performing Arts 1991🤗!

Gosh, the number of musicians in this recording.... 8 double basses, wow! They sound, the power, is extraordinary! Props to conductor Barenboim and all those musicians... This has to be the best Symphony no 5 recording on RU-vid...

The flute is just perfection ❤❤

I'm going to be honest right now, but this is the first symphony I've ever fully listened to,

Bless you!!! 00:17

Une musique incroyablement bien faite. Un bonheur pour les oreilles, quel plaisir d'écouter un tel chef-d'oeuvre.

I heard this for the first time in windows XP circa 2001 and i just fell in love with it. 😢😢😢 Beautiful music

I'm 78. Every day, especially on rainy days off from school, or even before we all went to school, during our childhood--me and my 5 siblings-- in our Bronx Irish Catholic neighborhood we'd hear our father play his old 78rpm records and go through every classical master from Bach-Beethoven-Brahmas-Wagner-Tchaikovsky-Grieg-Mozart-Dvorak and end up with Gershwin. By the time we 5 kids were in the 1st grade we knew more of all those famous tunes than any other family within 500 miles, or 4 other NYC Boroughs. Thank you Daddy. And what's great now is that, as one person said here, with just the click of keyboard finger, we can not only hear but also SEE some great world-class orchestra perform, over and over and over again, all those wonderful, soul-lifting, timeless, magnificent works of art to our hearts' content....like I'm doing now. And I already know every note from when I first heard them in 1944 within months of my birth. Music is in my blood.

this is an absolutely amazing recording. the orchestra is so well trained. Daniel Barenboim is remarkable. this is probably the best I've seen on the internet. And, the interpretation of Beethoven's 5th is perfect - the tempo, the emotion, the stylistic heart - exactly what Beethoven intended.

I was 8 years old when I listened to the 5th symphony for the first time. It was an unforgettable experience. It made me an "adult child."

Excelente Maestro Baremboin. Una delicia poder escuchar esta gran obra maestra!!!

Don't forget to compliment the camera work, audio and video engineering, and the director and his staff. Spot on work!

Did the entire audience have a mass case of THE PLAGUE or something?!?!?! Geeeeez.

Das ist die beste Version die ich jemals in meinem Leben gehört habe, Beethoven würde vor Freude tanzen.

If I had to describe this symphony in one word it would be "relentless." It moves forward and forward with a relentless energy. It's like drinking two cups of strong coffee. You want to go charging out into the world, fearless.

The fact that these are young people from all over the world coming together to bring this to us is wonderful beyond words.

18:35 and every pause between movements *coughing contest*

I used to like this symphony. But, tonight I really am thankful for being alive to hear this music.

Truly magical, what took place there that evening. Think about the incredible dedication each one of those instrumentalists had to their instrument. Every single one of them. Now imagine that times however many performers were present that night. It is incredible how this magnificent music continues to stand the test of time. God Bless Beethoven and his genius, genius mind.

Whenever you should happen to read this comment, consider the number one song at the time of any genre of music. In 218 years, it will be long, long forgotten. Yet people will still marvel at this piece. Musical taste is certainly subjective, but music that stands the test of time like this is truly something to behold. This is truly magnificent.

As a musician myself, I love the way Maestro Barenboim has partnered with his musicians allowing them a great deal of personal expression especially in solos. This is visually apparent as the camera catches not only the free swinging bells of clarinets and oboes, but also the bobbing and weaving of flute and virtually every violin & viola as the musical emotion runs high. Yet the Maestro holds his reigns tight enough to produce this truly amazing performance of one of Beethoven's best.

this is still by far the best recording I have ever heard of no.5

6:50 - 7:00 these 10 seconds made me fall in love with classical music when I was 12

Beethoven. All day, every day.

Beautiful camera work and perfect cutting from shot to shot, cleverly directed.

Beethoven loved him some bassoons, and that is one of the many reasons I love him.

0:30 he be throwin invisible cookies to make them play better

The entire world owes this man for his great gifts to the world. They will still be playing his music until the end of time. The entire symphony is billed as in C sharp minor and yet it ends in a major key what brilliance, what bravery, what creativity, what out of the box thinking and triumph of spirit. If Mozart was billed as the voice of the almighty, Beethoven is the voice of humanity and how great a person can be in the face of adversity. It would be the equivalent of Rembrandt losing his sight and yet painting his greatest masterpieces blind, or Shakespeare losing his mind and writing His great plays. Think on this and marvel at how one can overcome our own setbacks

Excellent, really excellent, makes the hair stand on end

Great orchestra, great conductor, smart, great idea to bring people together and show that living in peace and being friends is possible.

26:41 to 28:15 - I regard this as one of the greatest passages in music. I never tire of hearing it. It is the high dramatic point in a piece which is just astounding in every respect. Consider that the composer was probably deaf, or close to it, when he wrote this, and completely deaf (for all practical purposes) when he wrote the later masterpieces. I know it's all been said, but dear God, this man was almost unbelievable. His reputation could stand on his symphonies alone, but he was the master of concertos, sonatas, one opera (which, just by the way, is routinely ranked among the greatest ever), masses, quartets and so many other forms. The word "genius" fails to do the job.

No one: Audience after the movement ends: "Okay, we can breathe now."

It’s one of my favorite orchestra .

Great music of great composer. Conductor is awesome.

Got to see this symphony in person, it was one of the most amazing experiences in my entire life.

This might just be the most famous piece of music ever written.

Music can do what almost nothing else can: make one's heart race with exhilaration, make it sink in despair, give one hope or let one down. Astounding.

I know the focus of the FIfth Symphony is on the first movement, but I think the fourth movement is very underrated. I think it sounds as epic as the first.

The concertmater, the guy on the timpani, everyone is just amazing, The Conductor is so good. What a beautifully rendered Beethoven

私は日本で聴いています。心に響く感動的な曲です。この曲を聴いていると生きる元気が湧いてくる来るような気がします。

An ad popped up in the grand entrance of the final movement. It absolutely killed the moment.

Es ist schon beeindruckend was im 18./19. Jahrhundert so aus deutschen Köpfen entsprang. Mich fangen 200 Jahre später die Genis von Mozart, Bach und Beethoven immernoch ein 😊

The 1st oboist and 1st flautist must be something like bestfriends. They play like one man of one soul.