Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Beethoven Festival: Symphonies 2 & 5

The Second Symphony, with its dramatic opening and light-speed strings, has one foot in the classical era, and one in the romantic. With its captivating melodies and good cheer, it’s hard to contemplate that while writing this, Beethoven’s deafness was becoming more profound, and he was in the darkest moments of his life.

The first eight notes of Beethoven’s famous Fifth Symphony have come to define it – referenced constantly in popular culture, they’re also a subject of hot discussion in musical circles. Some consider them the sound of fate knocking at Beethoven’s door, others see them as a secret, coded message in support of the French revolution, and others still are content simply to argue about how they should be played. In any case, beyond the gateway of this famous opening lies an awe-inspiring symphony of epic proportions.