Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Opus 55 (Italian Sinfonia Eroica, Heroic Symphony) is a structurally rigorous composition of great emotional depth, which marked the beginning of the creative middle-period of the composer Ludwig van Beethoven.
Beethoven began composing the third symphony soon after Symphony No. 2 in D major, Opus 36. He completed the composition in early 1804, and the first public performance of Symphony No. 3 was on 7 April 1805 in Vienna.
The first published edition is on display in the Lobkowicz Palace, and was first published in 1806.
Instrumentation[]
Symphony No. 3 is scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets in B-flat, two bassoons, three horns(the 1st in E-flat, C, and F; the 2nd in E-flat and C; and the 3rd in E-flat), two trumpets in E-flat and C, timpani in E-flat and B-flat (in the 1st, 3rd, and 4th movements) and in C and G (in the 2nd movement), and strings.
Form[]
Beethoven circa 1803 when he wrote this music
The work is in four movements:
- Allegro con brio
- Marcia funebre: Adagio assai - C minor with a trio in C major
- Scherzo: Allegro vivace
- Finale: Allegro molto
Beethoven's 3rd symphony is very long in comparison to Classical-era symphonies, and the first movement alone was around the same length as one symphony. The work also shows a great range of emotion. A typical performance will last between 41 and 56 minutes, depending on the conductor's style and whether or not the exposition repeat in the first movement.
Overview[]
Dedication and premiere performance[]
Ludwig van Beethoven originally dedicated the third symphony to Napoleon Bonaparte, whom he believed embodied the democratic and anti-monarchical ideals (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity) of the French Revolution. However, in the autumn of 1804, Beethoven withdrew his dedication of the third symphony to Napoleon, and re-dedicated it to Prince Joseph Franz Maximilian Lobkowitz. Beethoven changed the dedication after Napoleon crowned himself emperor. When Beethoven first found out, he got so angry that he scratched out Napoleon's name (Buonoparte, his Italian name) so much that it made a hole on the paper.