Beethoven 1 & 2: The Beginning

The dawn of the symphonies

Our Beethoven Symphony Festival kicks off with his exuberant overture for Prometheus, which captures the divine splendour of this mythical hero through strident moments, excitable strings and some very pretty lyricism. There’s a similar energy in his Symphony No.1, which pays homage to the great classical tradition while giving us a taste of the vibrant and pioneering symphonic voice Beethoven developed over the following decade. Written at the dawn of the 19th century, there’s even more emotional intensity, humour and dramatic irony in the composer’s Second Symphony. 

As part of our festival of Beethoven’s symphonies... 

We're proud to present six new orchestral works written by composers and young musicians from the North West – connecting Beethoven’s influence with the creative voices of today and tomorrow. This reflects our commitment to championing new music and supporting composing talent, from young people creating their first works to established composers who have developed their careers with the Phil's support. 

This concert features a new work by Grace-Evangeline Mason, commissioned by Liverpool Philharmonic. Since winning the Rushworth Composition Prize in 2017, Mason has written several orchestral works, including The Imagined Forest, premiered at the BBC Proms by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.