The Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, was finished and first performed in 1808. It achieved fame soon enough, going on to become one of the most popular compositions in classical music. Beethoven was in his mid-thirties: his personal life was troubled by increasing deafness. In the world at large, the period was marked by the Napoleonic Wars. The symphony soon acquired status as a central item in the repertoire: groundbreaking in terms of both technical and emotional impact, it had a large influence on composers and music critics, and inspired work by such composers as Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Bruckner, Mahler, and Berlioz. The 1st mov. was featured on the Voyager Golden Record.
The Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, was finished and first performed in 1808. It achieved fame soon enough, going on to become one of the most popular compositions in classical music. Beethoven was in his mid-thirties: his personal life was troubled by increasing deafness. In the world at large, the period was marked by the Napoleonic Wars. The symphony soon acquired status as a central item in the repertoire: groundbreaking in terms of both technical and emotional impact, it had a large influence on composers and music critics, and inspired work by such composers as Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Bruckner, Mahler, and Berlioz. The 1st mov. was featured on the Voyager Golden Record.