If you were to ask which musical pieces best introduce the world of classical music, the answer is probably Beethoven’s symphonies. Indeed, these are some of the greatest treasures of classical music, with the widest spectrum of feelings and emotions.
Beethoven made the symphony one of the most important musical forms and turned it into a powerful means of expressing his worries and struggles.
Unlike Haydn, who composed 108 symphonies, or Mozart, who wrote 41, Beethoven completed a modest nine. But what symphonies they are!
In each of them, he creates more than just perfectly structured music for the orchestra – he crafts monumental works where he explores his philosophy and deep personal views.
From the first to the last, Beethoven takes you on a complete journey through his evolving musical ideas, from the quite classical early symphonies to the groundbreaking final one, unlike anything heard before him.
Of course, some are now recognized as absolute masterpieces, while others are often overlooked and don’t receive the attention they deserve.
While there are two well-defined groups of his symphonies – some far more famous than others – it doesn’t mean the rest should be ignored.
Nevertheless, today, we’ll rank all nine Beethoven symphonies from the most modest to the greatest!
9. The Eighth
“My little symphony in F,” as Beethoven referred to his Eighth, to avoid confusion with the much more prominent Sixth, also in F major. And in every sense, this one is far from the grandeur of his other symphonies.
After three consecutive masterpieces and the brilliant Ninth, the Eighth feels quite odd. It sounds more like late Mozart, with a very playful and lively tone. It almost seems like Beethoven didn’t take this one seriously.
Beethoven keeps the main theme light and energetic, structuring it in the best classical traditions.
Despite its humorous simplicity, the truth is – Beethoven did it on purpose. He intentionally made it so light and easy-going, taking a brief musical pause in his career.
He completed it in just four months and didn’t dedicate it to anybody. He didn’t intend for it to become a breakthrough.
The Eighth is a little musical break for Beethoven, which he composed mostly for fun as a side project. After all, when Beethoven is having fun with his music, there’s always something interesting to hear!
Symphony 8 in F major – Bernstein (yt. awesomefree websites)
8. The Fourth
The Fourth is probably the most overlooked symphony by Beethoven. He wrote it in 1806 and premiered it in 1807 in a private performance for a small circle of Beethoven’s friends and admirers.
The Fourth was mostly overshadowed by his Third, Eroica, and the following Fifth and Pastorale, receiving little to no public performances.
Beethoven wrote it for his patron, Prince Lobkowitz, and didn’t intend it to become his next ‘big hit’. It starts with a dark and gloomy opening in G minor before transitioning to a light, somewhat heroic theme in B-flat major.
The subsequent movements and finale bring a cheerful and joyful tone. Overall, Beethoven keeps it quite traditional, though he builds it on strong contrasts, which became one of his defining features.
Since the Fourth was overshadowed by his other symphonies, it remains relatively underappreciated.
However, other musicians were welmdsal aware of Beethoven’s Fourth. Schumann described it as a “Greek maiden between Norse giants” for its mysterious nature and sound. Despite its obscurity, the Fourth is a significant step in Beethoven’s musical development.
The 4th (yt. Frankfurt Radio Symphony)
7. The Second
Shortly after the successful premiere of his First Symphony, Beethoven began working on his Second. It was written in Heiligenstadt, during the time he started to realize that his deafness might be incurable.
As a result, the Second became more individual and innovative, with Beethoven expressing his feelings more clearly.
The symphony includes many new ideas that Beethoven would later use in his music. For example, the opening of the first movement contains a theme similar to one in his Ninth Symphony, and he later includes a passage that appears in his Waldstein Sonata.
Written in D major, it carries an optimistic and heroic mood. Here, Beethoven introduces many innovations, moving further from classical traditions compared to his First Symphony.
He replaces the third movement with a scherzo instead of the traditional minuet, and overall, it is longer and more complex than Mozart’s symphonies and especially Haydn’s.
Take a look, for example, at the first movement, where he changes the main themes and general mood numerous times, making it very diverse and unusually balanced compared to the music of his contemporaries.
The Second Symphony was a major breakthrough for Beethoven, marking the beginning of his experimentation and transforming music into something more profound than just a well-structured sound.
Barenboim Conducts Beethoven’s Second (Proms)
6. The First
You may have already noticed that symphonies with odd numbers tend to be more famous than the even-numbered ones. This pattern applies to Beethoven’s First as well.
The First Symphony in C major is the most classical of all Beethoven’s symphonies. He wrote it at the age of 31, and it was a highly anticipated work.
Probably influenced by Haydn and late Mozart, the First Symphony is bold and innovative, while still following classical traditions, which was typical of his early music.
It is an energetic, joyful symphony with charm and pleasant themes, without the melancholic passages Beethoven later became known for. Some more conservative musicians quickly characterized it as oddly balanced and exaggerated, though.
But this is where young Beethoven begins to break the rules and establish himself as an innovator who didn’t strictly follow his teachers’ instructions.
For example, he opens the symphony with a dominant chord – unusual for that time – and includes many sforzandos and dynamic contrasts to build momentum, making it more dramatic and vibrant.
This is one of the best examples of how Beethoven’s spirit of change and libertarian views were expressed during his early period. These ideas would later become key principles in his music.
M. Boder – Beethoven’s First (yt. DW Classical Music)
5. The Seventh
After the success of his 5th and 6th symphonies, Beethoven went deep into working on his Seventh. He wanted it to be different from his previous works and was open to experimenting and making it more unique.
He composed it during 1811 and 1812, mostly while resting due to his health conditions at a Bohemian spa. It was a tough time for Beethoven and Europe in general, so this is one of the reasons it became so emotionally rich.
Although he didn’t announce this symphony and performed it at the University in Vienna, it still became popular. Especially for its second movement, Allegretto, which audiences encored.
Due to its innovative and unique sound and sometimes weird musical ideas, it received many mixed reactions from various music critics, which, to be honest, only made Beethoven more popular.
The Seventh became so groundbreaking and admired because of its deep emotional intensity. Here, Beethoven implements many new romantic concepts and builds on a dramatic, story-like chronology.
Beethoven focuses mostly on its rhythmic structures and soft, dance-like themes and motifs. For example, in his second movement, he takes a simple rhythmic theme in A minor and builds it into something mesmerizing. And in the 4th movement, he repeats the main rhythmic motif around 500 times.
It may be the most debated of all Beethoven’s symphonies. While some absolutely adore it, others, like Gould, are more critical of it. He once called it the “Anticipation of disco music.” Whether it’s your favorite or not depends on your personal tastes, but the Seventh is definitely a must-hear.
Thielemann – Allegretto from the Seventh (yt. Slah)
4. The Sixth "Pastorale"
Beethoven’s 6th Symphony is probably the most unique of all. This may be one of the best examples that reveal Beethoven’s romantic nature. More well-known as Pastorale, Beethoven wrote his sixth symphony to make us feel and experience the beauty of the outdoors.
It was first performed along with his 5th Symphony and was originally listed on the concert program as the 5th as well. However, comparing these two symphonies, they are absolute opposites of each other.
The Pastorale is probably the most peaceful and dreamy of all Beethoven’s symphonies. It is a unique 5-movement symphony, the greatest example of so-called program music, which aims to portray certain landscapes or scenes through music.
From the opening till the end, the Pastorale takes you to another dimension and makes you experience the absolute calm and tranquility. With dreamy and easy-going tunes, Beethoven builds a clear image of the outdoors.
Similarly to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Beethoven uses notes on the score like “On the Brook” or “Thunderstorm” to describe what he intends to portray through music. He wants you to picture certain images of nature and feel its beauty.
Even though this is quite unusual for Beethoven, as his music is more complex than just depicting specific landscapes and scenes, the Pastorale is indeed mesmerizing. Beethoven makes you feel the beauty of nature through music, like a true wizard, and creates a perfect sense of harmony and peace.
Karajan conducts Pastoral Symphony (yt. Beethoven 9 Symphonies)
3. The Third "Eroica"
Eroica is often referred to as the most important symphony in the history of music. It marked the beginning of Beethoven’s more creative middle period and became a turning point for music, dividing it into before and after.
The Third Symphony is significantly longer, more dramatic, and more innovative compared to his previous works. It was influenced by the French Revolution and the ideas of a new liberal society, and Beethoven’s philosophy strongly aligned with this period of great change.
The main hero, to whom Beethoven dedicated his Third Symphony, was Napoleon. However, later, when Napoleon declared himself emperor and started waging wars, Beethoven was furious.
He tore down the title, ripping out Napoleon’s name and leaving a gap on the sheet. Due to its triumphant nature and monumental scale, the symphony became known as Eroica (simply Heroic).
Beethoven made the Eroica particularly dramatic and intense, expressing his views and beliefs – something unprecedented in classical music.The first movement represents the rise of the main abstract hero, while the Marche Funèbre in the second movement portrays a near-death experience and struggle. The heroic finale represents the hero’s fight for life and his ideals.
The ideas of Beethoven’s Eroica became key principles in all of his future music. All subsequent masterpieces are strongly interconnected with Eroica, which is why it is so groundbreaking – not to mention its emotional intensity…
H. von Karajan conducts Beethoven’s Eroica (yt Beethoven 9 Symphonies)
2. The Fifth "Fate Symphony"
The “Da Da Da Duum” theme is probably the most iconic opening in music. Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony in C minor grabs your attention from the very first note until the heroic finale.
As mentioned earlier, the Fifth was written in 1808 and performed along with his Pastorale and other works during very tough times for Beethoven. The dramatic first movement reflects Beethoven’s struggles, including his profound hearing loss and difficulties in finding love.
The Fifth tells a very straightforward, yet captivating and mesmerizing story. Just compare the dark and intense first movement with the absolutely triumphant finale. Beethoven makes us experience this journey from darkness to light.
Some suggest that the Fifth is interconnected with the Eroica Symphony and also reflects Beethoven’s complicated relationship with Napoleon and the ideas of the French Revolution. Its emotional depth and heroic nature confirm this.
Another theory says that this symphony features Beethoven himself as the main protagonist. The Fifth is supposed to be his personal reflection on his struggles and his fight for his music and beliefs.
Famous Beethoven biographer Anton Schindler described the opening motif as “Fate knocking at your door.” Overall, the Fifth is one of the defining pieces where music history takes a major turn. Listening to it from beginning to end makes you fully experience its power and brilliance.
Boston Philharmonics – The Fifth Symphony (I mov.)
1. The Ninth "Choral"
Beethoven’s life’s work, much like Faust for Goethe or The Divine Comedy for Dante, sought to give music deeper meaning. His ultimate goal was to create a piece that would resonate and unite millions across the world.
The first idea for his greatest life work came when the young Beethoven read Schiller’s Ode to Joy. He became obsessed with the idea of putting these divine words into heavenly music, which would become an anthem for all humanity.
Beethoven worked on his Ninth Symphony for about 20 years. With little to no dedications or announcements, he was able to focus and implement groundbreaking ideas and innovations without a patron’s guidance or suggestions.
As a result, the Ninth became a furor not only in music but in art in general. This was an unprecedentedly long and complex symphony. Compared even to Beethoven’s previous symphonies, this one was totally different and unexpectedly groundbreaking.
The first two movements, dramatic and intense, reflect Beethoven’s hard life and his desire to find a bit of joy. The resolution of this conflict comes in the great finale, where Beethoven finally finds joy and introduces something so symbolic and unprecedented – the human voice.
Schiller’s words and Beethoven’s genius had such power and new meaning for millions that it became one of the most powerful catalysts for future generations.
It was used by both good and bad forces throughout history, but the general idea – “Oh millions, embrace each other” – remains as relevant as ever, especially today. It became the anthem of the European Union and an unofficial anthem of humanity.
Overall, Beethoven’s Ninth is a timeless masterpiece, one of the greatest achievements in art that everyone should experience at least once in their life! The Ninth brings a powerful message, masterfully expressed through sound and word by Beethoven – the greatest symphony of all time.
Ode To Joy performed by 10,000 Japanese singers (yt. mr23monkey)
