BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Wednesday, January 3, 1821

In the city of Bremen, a concert in honor of Beethoven’s 50th birthday is given this evening, comprised solely of Beethoven compositions. Prominently featured is the Pastoral Symphony. The local newspaper, quoted in the Wiener Zeitung of January 17, 1821, features this glowing appraisal: “May the celebrated artist, after looking back at a glorious half-century of important epochs in musical history, be given health and strength for a long time, so that his contemporaries and admirers can continue to enjoy the highest level of art, and to further elevate his fame, which has already secured him the laurel wreath of immortality.”

The first movement of the Pastoral Symphony is performed here by the Bremen Chamber Philharmonic, conducted by Paavo Järvi.