Beethoven 6

Composed between 1802 and 1808, Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony, the “Pastoral,” is one of his most vivid and personal works. Lasting approximately 40 minutes, it is one of only two symphonies he named himself, titled “Pastoral Symphony, or Recollections of Country Life.” 

Through five connected movements, Beethoven depicts scenes from rural life: peaceful landscapes, birdsong by a brook, a lively country dance, a dramatic thunderstorm, and a final song of gratitude.

Beethoven wrote about his Pastoral Symphony:

“Here, … lying by the brook with nut-trees, listening to the birds singing, I wrote the ‘Scene by the Brook’ and the goldhammers there up above me, the quails and cuckoos round about me, helped compose.”

In the second movement, the flute, oboe, and clarinet imitate the nightingale, quail, and cuckoo, while in the third movement Beethoven famously instructs the orchestra to play one passage “as fast as you can.” The final three movements follow one another without pause, forming a continuous dramatic arc from celebration, through storm, to gratitude.

Rich in atmosphere and storytelling, the “Pastoral” Symphony remains one of Beethoven’s most beloved works, capturing both the beauty and power of nature in sound.

The programme also features Vivaldi’s Spring from The Four Seasons, Mendelssohn’s evocative Hebrides Overture, and Mozart’s radiant Exultate Jubilate, brought to life by Soprano Chiara Braggion.