The Beethoven Files Podcast

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Ever wanted to take a closer look at the music of Beethoven? The Beethoven Files might make that a little easier.

Terence J. O'Grady


    • Apr 1, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 1m AVG DURATION
    • 60 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Beethoven Files Podcast

    Ep. 59 Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2025 96:01


    We'll look at Beethoven's last great public work--Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125, completed in 1824.  

    Ep. 58 Beethoven's String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat Major, Op. 130; String Quartet No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 131; and String Quartet No. 16 in F Major, Op. 135

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2025 83:30


    We'll look at Beethoven's final three string quartets: No. 13 in B-flat Major, No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, and No. 16 in F Major.

    Ep. 57 Beethoven's String Quartet No. 12 in E-flat Major, Op. 127 and String Quartet No. 15 in A Minor, Op. 132

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2025 63:59


    We'll focus on the first two of Beethoven's five late string quartets: the String Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 127, and the String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 132.   

    Ep. 56 Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109; No. 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110; and No. 32 in C Minor, Op. 111

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 1, 2025 68:23


    We'll look at Beethoven's final three piano sonatas: No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109 (1820); No. 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110 (1822); and No. 32 in C Minor, Op. 111 (1822).    

    Ep. 55 Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, Op. 123

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2024 74:55


    We'll focus on the Missa Solemnis, Op. 123, composed between 1819 and 1823.

    Ep. 54 Beethoven Piano Sonatas No. 28 in A Major, Op. 101 and No. 29 in B-flat Major, Op. 106 ("Hammerklavier")

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2024 67:55


    We'll focus on two piano sonatas, No. 28 in A major, Op 101 composed in 1816, and No. 29 in Bb major, Op 106 ("Hammerklavier"), completed two years later.  

    Beethoven's Cello sonata No. 4 in C Major, Op. 102, No.1, and Cello Sonata No. 5 in D Major, Op. 102, No. 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2024 61:22


    We'll look at Beethoven's last two cello sonatas:  Cello sonata No. 4 in C Major, Op. 102, No.1, and Cello Sonata No. 5 in D Major, Op. 102, No. 2. both completed in 1815.

    Ep. 52 Beethoven's Song Cycle "An die ferne Geliebte," Op. 98

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2024 53:06


    We're going to focus on the song cycle "An die ferne Geliebte," Op. 98, but also take a quick look at two songs from Beethoven's settings of Scottish songs from Op. 108.  

    Ep. 51 Beethoven's Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2024 67:16


    We'll focus on Beethoven's Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93. composed in 1812.  

    Ep. 50 Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2024 62:12


    We'll focus on Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92, completed in 1812.  

    Ep. 49 Beethoven's String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 95 ("Serioso") and the "Archduke" Piano Trio in B-flat Major, Op. 97

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2024 71:10


    We'll focus on the "Serioso" String Quartet, No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 95  (1810-1811), and the "Archduke" Piano Trio, B-flat Major, Op. 97 (1815).  

    Ep. 48 Beethoven's Incidental Music for Egmont, Op. 84

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2024 51:14


    We'll focus on the overture and a selection of varied movements from Beethoven's incidental music for Goethe's Egmont, Op. 84, completed in 1810.

    Ep. 47 Beethoven's Piano Sonatas No. 26 in E-flat Major, Op. 81a, and No, 27 in E Minor, Op. 90

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2024 62:28


    We'll focus on Piano Sonatas No. 26 in E-flat Major, Op. 81a, completed in 1810, and No. 27 in E Minor, Op. 90, completed in 1814.  

    Ep. 46 Beethoven's Fidelio, Op. 72

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2024 76:55


    We'll focus on the final version of the opera from 1814.  

    Ep. 45 Beethoven's Overtures to Fidelio

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2024 53:44


    We'll look at three of the four overtures Beethoven composed for Fidelio.

    Ep. 44 Beethoven's Piano Sonatas Nos. 24 in F-sharp Major, Op. 78, and 25 in G Major, Op. 79

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 1, 2024 51:57


    We're going to focus on Piano Sonata No. 24 in F# Major, Op. 78, and Piano Sonata No. 25 in G Major, Op 79, but we'll also take a quick look at the two piano sonatinas of Op. 49. 

    Ep. 43 Beethoven's String Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 74 (”Harp”)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2023 60:19


    We'll look at Beethoven's String Quartet No. 10  in E-flat Major, Op. 74, completed in 1809 and nicknamed the "Harp" quartet.

    Ep. 42 Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5 (”Emperor”) in E-flat Major, Op. 73

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2023 62:01


    We'll look at Beethoven's fifth and final piano concerto, the so-called "Emperor" Concerto in E-flat Major, Op. 73.

    Ep. 41 Beethoven's Piano Trios Op. 70, No. 1 in D Major (”Ghost”) and No. 2 in E-flat major

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2023 60:58


    We'll look at the two piano trios of Op. 70: No. 1, the famous "Ghost" Trio in D Major, and No. 2, the less famous but still very interesting Trio in E-flat Major.  

    Ep. 40 Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 in F Major (”Pastoral”), Op. 68

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2023 66:19


    We'll talk about Beethoven's great "Pastoral" Symphony, No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68.  

    Ep. 39 Beethoven's Choral Fantasy, Op. 80, and Cello Sonata No. 3 in A Major, Op. 69

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2023 63:17


    We'll look at Beethoven's highly unusual Choral Fantasy, Op. 80, and his Cello Sonata No. 3 in A Major, Op. 69.  

    Ep. 38 Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2023 71:04


    We'll talk about Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67.   

    Ep. 37 Beethoven's Mass in C Major, Op. 86

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2023 62:54


    We'll focus on Beethoven's Mass in C Major, Op. 86, composed in 1807.  

    Ep. 36 The Coriolan Overture, Op. 62 and Wellington's Victory, Op. 91

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2023 58:19


    We'll look at the Coriolan Overture, Op. 62 (1807) and Wellington's Victory, Op. 91 (1813).

    Ep. 35 Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2023 65:39


    We'll look at Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61, from 1806.  

    Ep. 34 Beethoven's Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Major, Op. 60

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2023 62:21


    We'll talk about Beethoven's Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Major, Op. 60.

    Ep. 33 Beethoven's ”Razumovsky” String Quartets, Op. 59

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2023 70:45


    We'll look at String Quartet in F Major, Op. 59, No. 1 and String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 59, No. 2.  

    Ep. 32 Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 1, 2023 59:58


    We'll look at Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58.  

    Ep. 31 Beethoven's Piano Sonata in F Minor, No. 23, Op. 57 (“Appassionata”)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2022 57:11


    We'll look at the Piano Sonata in F Minor, No. 23, Op. 57, the famous “Appassionata” sonata.

    Beethoven's Triple Concerto in C Major, Op. 56

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2022 59:48


    We'll look at Beethoven's Triple Concerto in C Major (for violin, cello and piano soloists and orchestra), Op. 56.

    Ep. 29 Beethoven's ”Eroica” Symphony, No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2022 67:59


    We'll look at Beethoven's great "Eroica" Symphony, No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55.

    Ep. 28 Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op. 53 (“Waldstein”) and Piano Sonata No. 22 in F Major, Op. 54

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2022 58:36


    We'll look at the famous Waldstein Sonata in C Major, Op. 53 and the Sonata No. 22 in F Major, Op. 54.  

    Ep. 27 Beethoven's Early Lieder

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2022 58:21


    We'll look at some of Beethoven's early lieder (art songs) including the collection from Op, 52, the Gellert Lieder of Op. 48, and the the song "Adelaide,"    

    Ep. 26 Beethoven's Romances for Violin and Orchestra

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2022 42:45


    In the two Romances for Violin and orchestra, Op. 40 in G Major and Op. 50 in F Major, we encounter not the innovative Beethoven, but rather the creator of graceful and attractive works designed to please performer and audiences alike.   

    Ep. 25 Beethoven's Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 9 (”Kreuzer”), Op. 47.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2022 61:31


    We'll focus on Beethoven's "Kreutzer" Sonata for Violin and Piano with a little bit of the backstory concerning two well-known violinists of the day--George Augustus Bridgetower and Rodolphe Kreutzer, along with one great 19th century Russian author-- Leo Tolstoy.  

    Ep. 24 Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2022 59:08


    We'll look at Beethoven's Piano Concerto No 3, Op. 37.  

    Ep. 23 Beethoven's “Christ on the Mount of Olives,” Op. 85

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2022 59:10


    We'll look at Beethoven's only oratorio, “Christ on the Mount of Olives.” 

    Ep. 22 Beethoven's Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2022 54:32


    We'll talk about Beethoven's Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36.

    Ep. 21 Beethoven's “Eroica” (“Prometheus”) Variations, Op. 35

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2022 58:31


    We'll focus on Beethoven's “Eroica” or “Prometheus” Variations, Op. 36, but also take a quick look at three of the bagatelles from Op. 33.  

    Ep. 20 Beethoven's Piano Sonatas, Op. 31, No 2 in D Minor (“Tempest”) & No. 3 in E-flat Major (“Hunt”)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2021 57:41


    We'll look at two piano sonatas from Op. 31: No. 2 in D minor (“Tempest”) and No. 3 in E-flat Major (“Hunt”).  

    Ep. 19 Beethoven's Violin Sonatas, Op. 30, Nos. 1-3

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2021 58:44


    We'll focus on the Violin Sonata in A Major, Op, 30, No. 1, and the Violin Sonata in C Minor, Op. 30, No. 2.   

    Ep. 18: Beethoven's The Creatures of Prometheus

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2021 52:54


    We'll look at Beethoven's ballet, The Creatures of Prometheus.

    Ep. 17 Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 15 in D Major, Op. 28, & String Quintet in C Major, Op. 29

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2021 59:47


    We'll focus on Piano Sonata No. 15 in D Major, Op. 28 ("Pastoral"), but also take a look at the String Quintet in C Major, Op. 29 ("Storm").

    Ep. 16 Beethoven's Op. 27 Piano Sonatas

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2021 55:42


    We'll focus on Op. 27,  No. 1 in E-flat Major, and No. 2 in C-sharp minor, (“Moonlight”).  

    Beethoven's Violin Sonata No. 4 in A Minor, Op. 23, and No. 5 in F Major (“Spring”), Op 24

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2021 58:17


    We'll look at Beethoven's Violin Sonata No. 4 in A minor, Op. 23, and No. 5 in F major. Op. 24, the “Spring” Sonata.

    Ep. 14 Beethoven's Symphony No. 1, Op. 21

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2021 53:22


    We'll look at Symphony No. 1, Op. 21.

    symphony no beethoven's symphony no
    Ep. 13 Beethoven's Op. 18 String Quartets, part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2021 59:22


    We’ll look at String Quartet No. 4 in C Minor, No. 5 in A Major and No. 6 in B-flat Major.

    Ep. 12 Beethoven's Op. 18 String Quartets, part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2021 61:56


    We’ll look at String Quartet No 1 in F Major, No. 2 in G Major, and No. 3 in D Major.

    Ep. 11 Beethoven's Quintet, Op. 16, and Septet, Op. 20

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2021 64:17


    We’ll focus on Beethoven’s Quintet, Op. 16, for piano, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon, but also look at selected movements from the Septet, Op. 20, for violin, viola, cello, double bass, clarinet, horn  and bassoon.

    Ep. 10 Beethoven's Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2021 64:04


    We’ll look at Beethoven’s Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15, and Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 19.

    Ep. 9 Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor (“Pathetique”), Op. 13

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2020 53:40


    We’ll look at the famous “Pathetique” Sonata in C minor, Op. 13.

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