Beethoven's Pastoral with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Following the sell-out success of Beethoven’s Fifths, the world-famous Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performs another all-Beethoven programme, this time finding the composer in a more romantic frame of mind.

Written during Beethoven’s infatuation with his ‘Immortal Beloved’, the Fourth Piano Concerto flouts convention at virtually every turn. Tender and lyrical, it culminates in a jubilant finale that seems to suggest the composer, endlessly unlucky in matters of the heart, has discovered the joy of life itself.

The ‘Pastoral’ Symphony is his love letter to the spirit of nature. Again, wearing his heart on his sleeve, Beethoven fills five highly melodic movements with characteristic touches, a profusion of contrasting ideas following one after another. The movements all bear unambiguously bucolic titles and are (mostly) unashamedly sunny.

Opening with the heroic Egmont Overture, this concert is the second in a series of two Sunday afternoon concerts with the RPO.