BEETHOVEN CORIOLAN OVERTURE SYMPHONY NO. 5

KLAUS TENNSTEDT conductor LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA LUDWIG VAN CORIOLAN OVERTURE

Until the late eighteenth century, overtures were usually a moment of military weakness that eventually drives him little more than musical announcements that an opera or to suicide. a play was about to begin, a way of silencing the audience. Rarely was their content affected much by the events of Beethoven’s Overture focuses on the conflict between the ensuing drama, and it was only with Gluck’s ‘reform the arrogant soldier – shown in the truculent opening operas’ of the 1770s that overtures began to attempt on chords and urgent string motif – and the pleadings of a more regular basis to encapsulate what was to follow. his mother as represented by the tender second theme, So influential was the change, however, that by the early rising step by step as her beseeching intensifies. In 1800s Beethoven’s most dynamic overtures – those to Shakespeare, Coriolanus was killed by his own followers the plays Coriolan, and The Ruins of Athens, to for his disloyalty, but that Beethoven’s concern, like Collin’s, the ballet The Creatures of Prometheus, and the several was for the effect of the hero’s failings on his own mind, is attempts at an overture to the opera Fidelio – soon shown at the end. Here, Volumnia’s theme makes its third acquired a concert life of their own. In effect, they had and last appearance, not rising this time but switching become the earliest examples of one of the nineteenth with greater urgency to the minor, with the result that century’s favourite forms, the symphonic poem. Coriolanus capitulates in a broken version of the opening. As the once-proud chords lose their way and the string The overture that Beethoven provided for Coriolan, a five- motif shrivels to nothing, the general’s fall is quiet and year-old tragedy by his friend Heinrich von Collin, was ignominious. actually performed a couple of times as a concert piece in the month that preceded its appearance at a revival of the play in April 1807. Collin’s drama had its origins in Shakespeare’s Coriolanus and, though differing from it in several respects, presented the same dilemma of the Roman general who has rebelled and is now leading an attack on Rome itself. On the point of victory he lays down his arms so that his mother, Volumnia, can be spared – SYMPHONY NO. 5 IN C MINOR

Whatever the Fifth Symphony was to its earliest audiences, This last influence is undoubtedly at its most potent in the it was not comfortable. Those who took their seats in highly dramatic first movement, totally dominated as it is Vienna’s Theater an der Wien on 22 December 1808 for by its famous four-note opening motif. Not that it sounds the concert at which the work was first performed would in any way like Haydn. The music here is astonishingly terse, doubtless have had some idea what to expect. Anyone pared down to the melodic minimum, and the second who had already heard the ‘Eroica’, or indeed the ‘Pastoral’ theme, a relaxed horn-call expansion of the main motif Symphony, which was also premiered earlier in the same answered by a reassuring embrace from the violins and concert, would have known that Beethoven had greatly woodwind, is quickly upon us. Yet it is this consolatory expanded the timescale of the symphonic form, raised its theme which, after a combative central development level of seriousness and expressive weight, and brought to it section, reappears in swirling, nightmarish transformation an increasingly theatrical, even narrative strain. But few can in the movement’s long and turbulent coda. have been prepared for the brusque, almost visceral assault this unique work was to make on their senses. There is more than a hint of Haydn’s influence, too, in the slow second movement, which has the overall shape of Where did it come from? Well, Beethoven was a one of his favourite forms, the ‘double variation set’ in revolutionary of course, but he was one who worked within which two themes are varied in alternation. The second of an established tradition, and who was subject to his fair Beethoven’s themes provides occasional brief foretastes share of influences. Several of these come together in the of the exultant mood of the finale, but at the end of this Fifth Symphony. One was Mozart, with whom he shared particular movement it is the more graceful first theme that a special feeling for the expressive power of the key of wins the day. C minor; another was the large-scale, open-heartedly bombastic music composed for the public celebrations of As in the Fourth Symphony, Beethoven does not call the Revolutionary France; and a third was Haydn, his teacher, third movement a scherzo, though in form and function it who time and time again had shown in his string quartets is one. If there is humour here, however, it is of a grim cast and symphonies how to construct whole movements from and beset by uncertainty. When a sturdier theme emerges, small but highly pregnant thematic cells. it is brief and troubled, dominated by a balefully intoned horn-call transformation of the four-note motif from the ‘about’, save for a possibly apocryphal remark to a friend first movement. The mood lightens in the scurryingly about the first movement: ‘thus Fate knocks at the door’. Yet fugal major-key ‘trio’ section (heard twice), but at its we know that he thought of many of his instrumental works second reappearance the first theme, played pizzicato and in programmatic terms; whether or not we as listeners pianissimo, takes on a stealthy, nocturnal character, before can guess them correctly, the fact that in his greatest leading us to the most celebrated passage in the whole symphonies we can sense them so strongly is proof of his Symphony. Here, over held string notes and sinister tappings success. from the , wisps of the first theme are heard, leading us for the moment we know not where. Gradually © Lindsay Kemp the excitement rises, until with a last sudden rush we find ourselves propelled into the blazingly triumphant C major of the finale. It is one of the most upliftingly theatrical moments in all music, and the unequivocal joyfulness of the ensuing movement (almost unremittingly loud, by the way, and reinforced for the purpose by Beethoven with trombones, piccolo and double ) is not even diverted by the brief, perhaps mocking reapparance about halfway through of the third movement’s main theme, this time gloriously overcome.

Whether one feels the Fifth Symphony as a journey from darkness to light, a depiction of adversity overcome, or as an emergence from some sort of underworld, there is no doubt that it has an effect on the listener that goes beyond the appreciation of its musical and formal niceties. Beethoven himself has left little clue as to what the Symphony is KLAUS TENNSTEDT conductor

Born in East , Klaus Tennstedt studied at the ‘Nobody listens to Beethoven quite like Klaus Tennstedt. And, Leipzig Conservatory and conducted throughout his native because he listens so acutely, his orchestra must, and we in the land but it was not until he moved to the West in 1971 audience do as well. The dark glass of familiarity is swept aside that he started to achieve world recognition. He made his and we meet the composer face to face.’ American debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Hilary Finch, The Times, February 1992. 1974 and his London debut was with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1976, his debut with the London Philharmonic Orchestra following in 1977. He had an instant rapport with the London Philharmonic Orchestra that resulted in return invitations and his appointment as the Orchestra’s Principal Conductor and Music Director in 1983. This developed into a unique and remarkable relationship until illness finally brought it to a premature end some ten years later. Klaus Tennstedt died in 1998.

Tennstedt was particularly renowned for his performances of the German repertoire, which he conducted regularly with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall and in the recording studio to huge public acclaim. His energy, musicianship and emotional involvement combined with a rare humility endeared him to audiences and musicians alike.

© Richard Holt LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

The London Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the world’s Hall in London, where it has been Resident Orchestra since finest orchestras, balancing a long and distinguished history 1992, giving around 30 concerts a season. Each summer with its present-day position as one of the most dynamic it takes up its annual residency at Glyndebourne Festival and forward-looking ensembles in the UK. This reputation Opera where it has been Resident Symphony Orchestra for has been secured by the Orchestra’s performances in the over 50 years. The Orchestra performs at venues around concert hall and opera house, its many award-winning the UK and has made numerous international tours, recordings, trail-blazing international tours and wide- performing to sell-out audiences in America, Europe, Asia ranging educational work. and Australasia. Founded by Sir in 1932, the Orchestra The London Philharmonic Orchestra made its first has since been headed by many of the world’s greatest recordings on 10 October 1932, just three days after its first conductors, including Sir , , public performance. It has recorded and broadcast regularly Sir , Klaus Tennstedt and . Vladimir ever since, and in 2005 established its own record label. Jurowski was appointed the Orchestra’s Principal Guest These recordings are taken mainly from live concerts given Conductor in March 2003, and became Principal Conductor by conductors including LPO Principal Conductors from in September 2007. Beecham and Boult, through Haitink, Solti and Tennstedt, to The Orchestra is based at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Masur and Jurowski. lpo.org.uk

© Benjamin Ealovega / Drew Kelley Klaus Tennstedt on the London Philharmonic Orchestra Label For more information or to purchase albums, telephone +44 (0)20 7840 4242 or visit lpo.org.uk/recordings LPO-0085 LPO-0085 LPO-0026 LPO-0068 Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 Brahms: Symphonies Nos. & Egmont Overture 1 & 3 LPO-0032 LPO-0052 LPO-0008 Bruckner: Symphony No. 8 Mahler: Symphony No. 8 Haydn: The Creation

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770–1827)

01 9:29 Coriolan Overture, Op. 62 32:53 Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 02 07:41 Allegro con brio 03 10:48 Andante con moto 04 05:14 Allegro 05 09:10 Allegro presto

KLAUS TENNSTEDT conductor LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA David Nolan leader

Recorded live at Southbank Centre’s ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL, and the ROYAL ALBERT HALL London

LPO – 0087