19. Main Evening Concert

Beethoven Cycle 4

The long list of Beethoven’s C minor works culminates of course with his Fifth Symphony, all sharing the now familiar contrast between violent emotional outbursts and moments of calmer lyricism. The 7th Violin Sonata is driven by a ferocious energy derived from the coiled power of the opening salvo. This Sonata also boasts one of his loveliest slow movements followed by a brilliantly witty little Scherzo to bring delighted smiles after two emotional movements. The 8th Sonata is an ebullient, light-hearted work. After the Interval Nightingale Quartet bring us to Smetana’s vividly autobiographical story. He suffered the composer’s curse of deafness and a whole series of terrible family tragedies and he tells his story in music that holds nothing back.