Wow, it's Beethoven! A December filled with surprises | Online concerts

This year, to commemorate 250 years since the birth of the great composer, and in response to the coronavirus pandemic which has caused concert halls to close, Rotterdam Philharmonic is performing all of Beethoven's symphonies, and inviting listeners to stream them online from the comfort of home! 

250 years of Ludwig van Beethoven

Beethoven was born in Bonn in 1770 - 250 years ago! At the time, Bonn was part of the Holy Roman Empire, and he lived there for 22 years, though he spent most of his prolific years in Vienna. An enigmatic and intense person, as well as a prototypical genius, Beethoven created some of the most enduring and influential works in the classical music canon, not to mention that he almost single-handedly ushered in the Romantic era in music.

So, in honour of Beethoven, the Rotterdam Philharmonic plays all of his symphonies this December, which puts Beethoven’s contributions in context and demonstrates the immense impact he had on the trajectory of classical music.

Stream Beethoven's 9th Symphony on New Year's Eve

The icing on the cake is his 9th symphony, the last symphony he wrote and arguably his towering glory. This will be performed on New Year's Eve, right in the heart of Rotterdam! The “Ode to Joy” from his 9th Symphony serves as the anthem for the European Union, and is one of the most recognisable pieces of music in the world.

Sign up now

Sign up to receive the link to watch Beethoven's 9th Symphony on New Year's Eve. To get online access to all of Beethoven's symphonies, browse the Rotterdam Philharmonic website.

Thumb photo: courtesy of Rotterdam Philharmonic