To many, Beethoven’s most famous work is a symbol of exclusion and elitism in classical music.
Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony starts with an anguished opening theme — dun dun dun DUNNNN — and ends with a glorious, major-key melody. Since its 1808 premiere, audiences have interpreted that progression from struggle to victory as a metaphor for Beethoven’s personal resilience in the face of his oncoming deafness.
The famous first movement of the Fifth doesn’t do much for me, but the finale …
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