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ABC Classic’s annual Classic 100 countdown was set amidst the global backdrop of coronavirus lockdowns, with the Ninth Symphony a fitting choice for top spot as people have sought to connect through music across the world.
This 8CD set contains music from all 100 of the best-loved works by Australia’s favourite composer, Ludwig van Beethoven: the easy grace and charm of his youth, his groundbreaking symphonies and string quartets, the anguish and triumph of his struggles with deafness, and the visionary genius of his final years.
It includes a brand new recording of the famous ‘Für Elise’ by Tamara-Anna Cislowska, ABC Classic presenter and internationally-celebrated pianist. She joins a Who’s Who of Australian performers, including Jayson Gillham, Nicole Car, Gerard Willems, Richard Tognetti and the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Anna Goldsworthy, the Goldner String Quartet, the Seraphim Trio and more.
In 2019, Beethoven was revealed as Australia’s favourite composer, topping the Classic 100: Composer countdown. And so in 2020, to celebrate his 250th birthday, we dedicated the Classic 100 to Beethoven.
Beethoven epitomises the hope and humanity at the core of music’s purpose, from the inspiring story of the deaf man who became the greatest composer of all time, to the moments when Beethoven has provided a soundtrack to the great events of history, to the comfort and joy of his music in our everyday lives.
Classic 100: Beethoven by the numbers
Favourite Forms 26 Sonatas 13 String Quartets 10 Concertos 9 Symphonies 4 Overtures • Trios 3 Romances • Sets of variations 2 Fantasias • Fugues • Sets of incidental music Masses • Quintets • Rondos 1 Adagio • Allegro and minuet • Bagatelle Ballet score • Battle piece • Concert aria Set of dances • Octet • Opera • Oratorio Septet • Serenade • Sextet • Sonatina Song • Song cycle Dark horses The highest-placed works making their Classic 100 debuts: · Egmont Overture (#13) · Romance for Violin and Orchestra No. 2 (#24) · Coriolan Overture (#30) Earliest piece: Fugue in D major for organ (1782 – aged 12) Latest piece: String Quartet Op.130: Finale (1826 – aged 56) 22 Solo pieces (1 musician) 41 Chamber works (2–7 musicians) 37 Orchestral works 51 pieces featured a piano Beethoven in previous Classic 100 countdowns 48 unique works across 13 countdowns The Choral Symphony has featured 7 times; the Emperor Concerto 6 times Five #1s: · Classic 100 Piano (2004): Moonlight Sonata · Classic 100 Concerto (2007): Emperor Concerto · Classic 100 Ten Years On (2010): Choral Symphony · Classic 100 Voice (2016): Choral Symphony Classic 100 Composer (2019): Beethoven
Can’t get enough Beethoven? ABC Classic have also made a playlist featuring all the movements of all the works in the Top 100 – every single note from Australia’s favourite Beethoven pieces! Head here to listen.
Classic 100 Beethoven – Track List
CD1
1 Symphony No. 9 ‘Choral’: IV. Finale (Ode to Joy)
2 Piano Concerto No. 5 ‘Emperor’: II. Adagio un poco mosso
3 Symphony No. 6 ‘Pastoral’: I. Pleasant, cheerful sensations awakened on arrival in the countryside
4 Symphony No. 7: II. Allegretto
5 Symphony No. 5: I. Allegro con brio
6 Piano Sonata No. 14 ‘Moonlight’: I. Adagio sostenuto
7 Violin Concerto in D major: III. Rondo
8 Symphony No. 3 ‘Eroica’: III. Scherzo
CD2
9 Piano Sonata No. 8 ‘Pathétique’: II. Adagio cantabile
10 Piano Concerto No. 4: II. Andante con moto
11 Triple Concerto: III. Rondo alla Polacca
12 Piano Sonata No. 23 ‘Appassionata’: I. Allegro assai
13 Egmont Overture
14 Für Elise
15 Missa Solemnis: I. Kyrie
16 Piano Sonata No. 21 ‘Waldstein’: I. Allegro con brio
17 Piano Concerto No. 3: III. Rondo
18 Choral Fantasy: Excerpt
CD3
19 Piano Trio No. 7 ‘Archduke’: II. Scherzo
20 Fidelio: Prisoners’ Chorus
21 Violin Sonata No. 5 ‘Spring’: IV. Rondo
22 Violin Sonata No. 9 ‘Kreutzer’: III. Finale
23 Symphony No. 8: I. Allegro vivace e con brio
24 Violin Romance No. 2
25 String Quartet No. 15: III. Heiliger Dankgesang: Excerpt
26 Symphony No. 4: III. Allegro vivace
27 Piano Concerto No. 1: III. Rondo
28 String Quartet No. 13: V. Cavatina
29 Mass in C major: I. Kyrie
CD4
30 Coriolan Overture
31 String Quartet No. 14: I. Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo
32 Piano Sonata No. 17 ‘The Tempest’: III. Allegretto
33 Piano Sonata No. 15 ‘Pastoral’: IV. Rondo
34 Piano Concerto No. 2: III. Rondo
35 Piano Sonata No. 29 ‘Hammerklavier’: I. Allegro
36 Symphony No.1: III. Menuetto
37 Rondo a capriccio ‘Rage over a Lost Penny’
38 Violin Romance No. 1
39 Wellington’s Victory: II. Victory Symphony
40 Piano Sonata No. 32: I. Maestoso – Allegro con brio ed appassionato
CD5
41 Leonore Overture No. 3
42 Große Fuge
43 Violin Concerto in C major (Fragment)
44 Symphony No. 2: III. Scherzo
45 Cello Sonata No. 3: II. Scherzo
46 String Quartet No. 16: II. Vivace
47 The Ruins of Athens: Turkish March
48 String Quartet No. 7 ‘Rasumovsky No. 1’: IV. Thème russe
49 Septet: III. Tempo di Menuetto
50 Piano Trio No. 5 ‘Ghost’: I. Allegro vivace e con brio
51 Cello Sonata No. 2: I. Adagio sostenuto ed espressivo
52 Piano Sonata No. 31: I. Moderato cantabile molto espressivo
53 String Quartet No. 9 ‘Rasumovsky No. 3’: IV. Allegro molto
CD6
54 The Creatures of Prometheus Overture
55 Piano Sonata No. 26 ‘Les Adieux’: I. Das Lebewohl
56 Diabelli Variations: Excerpts
57 Piano Sonata No. 30: I. Vivace, ma non troppo – Adagio espressivo
58 String Quartet No. 8 ‘Razumovsky No. 2’: IV. Finale
59 Oboe Concerto (Fragment: Largo)
60 Octet: IV. Finale
61 String Quartet No. 12: I. Maestoso – Allegro
62 Rondo for Piano and Orchestra
63 Horn Sonata: III. Rondo
64 Mandolin Sonatina in C major
65 Fantasia in G minor
66 Mandolin Adagio
67 String Quartet No. 10 ‘Harp’: IV. Allegretto con variazioni
CD7
68 Leonore Overture No. 2
69 Leonore Overture No. 1
70 An die ferne Geliebte: VI. Nimm die hin denn, diese Lieder
71 Piano Sonata No. 12: III. Funeral March
72 Cello Sonata No. 1: III. Allegro vivace
73 Christ on the Mount of Olives: Wir haben ihn gesehen
74 Romance Cantabile (Fragment)
75 String Quartet No. 2: IV. Allegro molto quasi presto
76 Adelaide
77 Wind Quintet: III. Minuetto
78 Piano Sonata No. 1: III. Menuetto
79 String Quartet No. 11 ‘Serioso’: IV. Larghetto espressivo – Allegretto agitato
80 Serenade for Flute, Violin and Viola: V. Allegro scherzando e vivace
81 Andante and Variations for Mandolin
82 Organ Fugue
CD8
83 Trio for Two Oboes and Cor Anglais: III. Menuetto
84 German Dances, WoO 8: No. 1 in C major
85 Andante favori
86 Cello Sonata No. 4: I. Andante
87 Quintet for Piano and Winds: III. Rondo
88 String Quartet No. 4: III. Menuetto
89 Sonata for Piano Four Hands: I. Allegro molto
90 Cello Sonata No. 5: III. Allegro fugato
91 Piano Sonata No. 18 ‘The Hunt’: III. Menuetto
92 Piano Sonata No. 5: III. Finale
93 Piano Trio No. 4 ‘Gassenhauer’: II. Adagio
94 String Quartet No. 6: III. Scherzo
95 Piano Concerto No. 0: III. Rondo allegretto
96 Piano Sonata No. 13: II. Allegro molto e vivace
97 Flute Duo: I. Allegro
98 See the Conqu’ring Hero Comes: Variation No. 12
99 Wind Sextet: III. Menuetto quasi allegretto
100 Ah! perfido