Beethoven - Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 -

Swiss conductor Philippe Jordan and the Orchestre de l‘Opéra national de Paris recorded all of Ludwig van Beethoven‘s symphonies in 2014-2015. In this program, Jordan conducts Beethoven‘s Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, also known as the Pastoral Symphony. Beethoven wrote the work upon completion of his Symphony No. 5. Both symphonies premiered at the same legendary, all-Beethoven concert on December 22, 1808. Symphony No. 6 consists of five movements, of which the last three are played without a break. Each movement carries a title that suggests a scene from life in the countryside. The joyful atmosphere of the first three movements is interrupted by the violent fourth movement ‘Thunder, Storm‘, as expressed by the piccolos, brass, and timpani. As the storm recedes at the end of the movement, the tranquility returns in the final movement. This performance was recorded at Opéra Bastille in Paris, France, in 2015.