Show Notes
Andy Bush investigates Beethoven’s skills on stage, as a pianist, improviser and conductor, and finds useful parallels with Donkey Kong, dry ice and Dane Bowers.
The guests in this episode are conductors Karin Hendrickson, Jonathon Heyward and Sir Mark Elder, pianist Stephen Hough, cellist Matthew Barley, clarinettist Julian Bliss and composer and Scala Radio presenter Jack Pepper.
This podcast features clips of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.3 3 & 4, performed by Elizabeth Sombart and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphony No.7, performed by the Britten Sinfonia, and the Piano Concerto No.5 performed by Alessio Bax and the Southbank Sinfonia - all are available at https://signumrecords.com. Other musical extracts were provided by the London Philharmonic Orchestra; LPO Label releases are available on all major streaming platforms and at lpo.org.uk/recordings.
More from Beethoven: The Basics with Andy Bush
In the final episode of the series, Andy takes a look at some of Beethoven’s later works and asks his guests to explain which 1 piece of his music best describes the great composer’s legacy and influence. References to tour merch, Wimpy and privet hedges may also feature.
In the penultimate episode, Andy Bush turns to Beethoven’s ill health and explores how it affected his music. How he was able to continue composing as he became increasingly deaf?
Andy Bush takes a look at the premieres of Beethoven's works that have gone down in history and manages to include references to in-flight safety videos, good soup and premium rate phone lines.
Andy Bush finds out who kept a roof over Ludwig’s head by commissioning him to write music. Turns out there were quite a few princes, but only one of them was called a donkey…
Andy Bush takes a look at Ludwig's friends, frenemies and the significant members of his family. References to X-men, index fingers and Bond villains also feature.