Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven)

Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven)

The Symphony No. 5 in C minor of Ludwig van Beethoven, Op. 67, was written in 1804–1808. It is one of the most popular and best-known compositions in classical music, and one of the most frequently played symphonies. First performed in Vienna's Theater an der Wien in 1808, the work achieved its prodigious reputation soon afterwards. E. T. A. Hoffmann described the symphony as "one of the most important works of the time".

It begins by stating a distinctive four-note "short-short-short-long" motif twice: ( listen)

The symphony, and the four-note opening motif in particular, are well known worldwide, with the motif appearing frequently in popular culture, from disco to rock and roll, to appearances in film and television.

Read more about Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven):  Instrumentation, Influences, Lore, Editions, Adaptations

Famous quotes containing the word symphony:

    The truth is, as every one knows, that the great artists of the world are never Puritans, and seldom even ordinarily respectable. No virtuous man—that is, virtuous in the Y.M.C.A. sense—has ever painted a picture worth looking at, or written a symphony worth hearing, or a book worth reading, and it is highly improbable that the thing has ever been done by a virtuous woman.
    —H.L. (Henry Lewis)