Beethoven Symphony No. 6

To escape the city of Vienna, Beethoven often spent his summers in the rural counties surrounding it—a love reflected in his Symphony No. 6, Pastoral. With movements titled Awakening of joyful sentiments upon arriving in the country and Scene by the brook, the work depicts life in the country.

Mendelssohn Symphony No. 3

Scotland - the country that gave us haggis, bagpipes, golf and Sean Connery among other world treasures - was also the inspiration for two of Mendelssohn's best-known works: his "Hebrides" Overture and "Scottish" Symphony. There are no actual Scottish tunes in the Symphony; in fact, Mendelssohn professed to dislike all Scottish music, especially the bagpipes. But it's hard to imagine the source of this tuneful work being anything other than the windswept heather of the Highlands.

Sibelius' Four Legends from the Kalevala

Sibelius' Four Legends from the Kalevala

In "Four Legends from the Kalevala," Jean Sibelius explored Finland's mythical past and found his own musical future.

Bruckner's Symphony No. 5

Bruckner's Symphony No. 5

 Anton Bruckner grew up an unsophisticated teacher’s son.  By the time he reached Vienna and the composition of his Symphony No. 5, he had a sound combining Beethoven’s sense of mystery and suspense, Schubert’s harmony, and Wagner’s breadth in unfolding, plus a symphonic vision all his own.

Handel’s Messiah

Handel’s Messiah

Often called the greatest piece of music ever written, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 was the last he would ever write.  The first symphony to feature a chorus and vocal soloists, Symphony No. 9 also includes the famous “Ode to Joy.”

Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 “Eroica”

Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 “Eroica”

The Eroica opened the floodgates for the symphonic outpouring of the nineteenth century–for Beethoven himself, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Bruckner, and the rest. The Eroica was the longest symphony ever written when it was unveiled, and listeners and critics commented widely on that fact, to the composer’s frustration. By 1807 nearly all reactions to the piece were favorable, or at least respectful, and critics were starting to make sense of its more radical elements.