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CARNEGIE HALL PRESENTS

Cancelled: The Philadelphia Orchestra

Friday, March 20, 2020 8 PM Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
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Hear the fascinating ways Beethoven inherited the symphony of his predecessors and transformed it for all time. His Symphony No. 2 looks back to Haydn and Mozart, but Beethoven infused it with dashes of rowdy humor and a Romantic sensibility—particularly the poetic slow movement—that are among his hallmarks. With the slashing opening chords of the "Eroica," Beethoven forever changed the symphony by introducing newfound depths of emotion, colossal power, and sheer scale.

Part of: Yannick Nézet-Séguin Perspectives and Beethoven Celebration

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This partner event focuses on music included in this concert.

The Philadelphia Orchestra is also performing October 15, March 13, March 26, and April 3.

Yannick Nézet-Séguin is also performing October 15, November 22, December 15, March 13, March 26, April 3, June 12, and June 16.

Yannick Nézet-Séguin: Also performing April 15, April 28, June 12, June 18, October 16, October 31, December 9, February 4, 2026, March 1, 2026, March 10, 2026, May 5, 2026, May 29, 2026, June 11, 2026, and June 18, 2026.

Performers

The Philadelphia Orchestra
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Music Director and Conductor

Program

ALL-BEETHOVEN PROGRAM

Symphony No. 2

Symphony No. 3, "Eroica"

Event Duration

The printed program will last approximately two hours, including one 20-minute intermission. Please note that there will be no late seating before intermission.

Pre-Concert Talk

Pre-concert talk at 7 PM with Ara Guzelimian, Provost and Dean, The Juilliard School.

Explore More

Yannick Nézet-Séguin: Perspectives

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Yannick Nézet-Séguin: 2019–2020 Perspectives Artist
The Trustees of Carnegie Hall gratefully acknowledge the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene J. Glaser in support of the 2019-2020 season.
Lead support for the Beethoven Celebration is provided by The Morris and Alma Schapiro Fund.
National Endowment for the Arts: arts.gov
Public support is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.
In honor of the centenary of his birth, Carnegie Hall’s 2019–2020 season is dedicated to the memory of Isaac Stern in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to Carnegie Hall, arts advocacy, and the field of music.

At a Glance

The Philadelphia Orchestra continues its cycle of Beethoven’s complete symphonies in celebration of the composer’s 250th anniversary.

Beethoven’s Third Symphony, the revolutionary “Eroica,” so changed the history of the genre upon its public premiere in 1805 that it quickly overshadowed his first two symphonies, which he had composed shortly before. Despite its humor and good cheer, some critics initially greeted the Second Symphony as “bizarre.” Beethoven wrote it around a time of acute personal crisis, as he was first confronting his loss of hearing.

The crisis seems more evident in relation to the “Eroica,” which Beethoven originally called “Bonaparte.” He changed the title after becoming disillusioned when Napoleon crowned himself emperor. The heroism of this monumental work nonetheless remains and may relate to the composer’s own struggles at the time.

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