From the anarchic chords that open his First Symphony, the symphonies of Ludwig van Beethoven are acts of revolution – but no-one understands better than John Eliot Gardiner that they’re rooted in tradition, too. “The very opening chord of the First Symphony is Beethoven announcing himself” says Eliot Gardiner. “He’s saying, ‘I am here and I have something special to say!’”. There’s only one way to begin this journey, after all, and Gardiner has coupled the symphony with the Mass in C: as the Monteverdi Choir and four superb soloists lift their voices towards Beethoven’s very personal vision of heaven.

Programme

Beethoven – Overture from The Creatures of Prometheus  
Beethoven – Symphony No. 1 in C 
Beethoven – Mass in C 

Performers

Lucy Crowe Soprano 
Alice Coote Mezzo soprano 
Allan Clayton Tenor 
William Thomas Bass 
Monteverdi Choir 
Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique 
John Eliot Gardiner Conductor