Two hundred years ago, Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony was “a piece that completely shatters anyone's preconceived notion of what a symphony is supposed to be,” says Jeffrey Kahane, music director of the San Antonio Philharmonic.
“The earliest symphonies … typically were 10 to 15 minutes long,” Kahane explained. “Haydn comes along. He's often referred to as the father of the symphony. He writes 104 symphonies. And Mozart also comes along. He writes 41 symphonies, and they expand the idea of what a symphony could be. And their symphonies typically last about half an hour.”
Beethoven broke the mold with his “Eroica” symphony, Kahane said. But nothing could have prepared audiences for an hour-plus work with chorus, and interconnected movements that feels a bit like a “feature film” in music, he added.
“He was an architect and a philosopher,” Kahane explained. “And this piece is not just a piece of music. It is a philosophical statement, it is a credo, it is a statement of belief in some fundamental human values.”
The San Antonio Philharmonic will be joined by the San Antonio Mastersingers this weekend for performances of Beethoven's Ninth on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 7:30 p.m. and again on Sunday, Nov. 17, at 2 p.m. Tickets are available online through the Majestic Theatre and at the Majestic Box Office.
Use the audio player at the top of this page to hear Jeffrey Kahane's audio guide through Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, illustrating points live at the piano, and with audio clips.
