Symphony No. 6 in F, Op. 68 ‘Pastoral’

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) completed Symphony No. 6 in 1808. Also known as the “Pastoral Symphony,” it was first performed at a benefit concert that took place at the Theater an der Wien on December 22, 1808, alongside the composer’s Symphony No. 5, his Piano Concerto No. 4, and his Choral Fantasy. A lover of nature, Beethoven often spent a great deal of time walking in the countryside away from Vienna — it was from these walks that he drew inspiration for Symphony No. 6, stating that it is “more the expression of feeling than painting.” The composer titled each movement of the symphony; it is one of Beethoven’s few works that contains explicitly programmatic content. Instrumentation: 2+Picc.2.2.2: 2.2.2.0: Timp: Str(9-8-7-6-5 in set).