After a long hiatus, the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra (SZSO) last month restarted its musical season. This Friday, the orchestra will perform Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 3” and “Symphony No. 7” and Lin Daye will wield the baton. The show will be posted on the Tencent Video app at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
Lin Daye
“Symphony No. 3” is a structurally rigorous composition of great emotional depth, which marked the beginning of the creative middle-period of Beethoven. It was one of the most important milestones in classical music, and a triumphant piece of art. Beethoven injected his symphony with a passion, intensity and ideas that had never been heard before. He originally dedicated the symphony to Napoleon Bonaparte, whom he believed embodied the democratic and anti-monarchical ideals of the French Revolution in the late 18th century. In autumn of 1804, Beethoven withdrew his dedication to Napoleon when the tyrant declared himself emperor of the French, lest it cost the composer’s fee paid him by a royal patron; so, Beethoven re-dedicated his symphony to Prince Joseph Franz Maximilian Lobkowitz.
“Symphony No. 7” is a piece full of the spirit of dance and celebration. Explosively popular when the composer premiered it, the symphony’s happy energy has thrilled audiences ever since. Beethoven composed the symphony between 1811 and 1812, while improving his health in the Bohemian spa town of Teplice. Inspired by the tranquility and beauty of his holiday, he set about sketching a new symphony. This one would be full of the joy of life and dance. Beethoven was known for relying heavily on rhythm to create his music, but the seventh goes further. The composer crafted almost the entire symphony from simple dance-like rhythms, evoking wild celebrations and festivals.