Episode 8 – Musical Success and Family Drama

John tells the story of the arrival of a wealthy patron in the life of the teenage Beethoven, and discovers why the timing could not have been better. John will play part of a ballet that Beethoven composed under his patron’s name, and reveals why he agreed to it. Then, John describes the moment when the young composer felt forced into ensuring his father was dismissed from his job and plays a joyful piece that Beethoven composed around that time, giving the impression that, despite his family dramas, he didn’t have a care in the world. All the Beethoven pieces featured in this podcast are taken from the 90-disc Naxos box set, the Complete Beethoven Edition. You can buy yours by heading to Presto Classical and Europadisc.