Beethoven | Symphony No. 6

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Beethoven, Ludwig van | Symphony No. 6, Op. 68 (1808)

Recording: Bernard Haitink conducting the London Symphony Orchestra 2006

All Movements

00:00 Erwachen heiterer Empfindungen bei der Ankunft auf dem Lande: Allegro ma non troppo
11:30 Szene am Bach: Andante molto moto
23:14 Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute: Allegro
28:14 Gewitter, Sturm: Allegro
31:46 Hirtengesang. Frohe und dankbare Gefühle nach dem Sturm: Allegretto

Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, also known as the "Pastoral Symphony," was completed in 1808. This symphony, one of Beethoven's few works with explicit programmatic content, first performed alongside his fifth symphony at the Theater an der Wien on December 22, 1808, in a four-hour concert. Beethoven, a nature lover, often worked in rural locales, and the Sixth Symphony reflects his deep connection to the natural world. It comprises five movements, each with a programmatic title, depicting various aspects of country life, including scenes by a brook, a merry gathering of country folk, and a thunderstorm​​.