Symphony No. 8 in F Major, Op. 93 
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

THE STORY

It is a testament to Ludwig van Beethoven’s ambition that a piece of music with as much swagger and brilliance as his Eighth Symphony is considered one of his more modest works. Indeed, observing the symphonies that bookend the work, the comparison is unfair—the Seventh Symphony was an immediate and raucous success, and the Ninth Symphony (which the North Carolina Symphony will perform in February of 2025) is considered one of the greatest works of art ever created.

Sketches for the Eighth Symphony appeared in tandem with the Seventh Symphony in April of 1812. The work advanced quickly and was completed in October. The Seventh and Eighth Symphonies had their premiere at the same concert, in 1814; this marks the end of an incredibly productive period, in which Beethoven established an artistic voice that would set him apart from any previous composer.

In his final years, Beethoven’s output would be more sparse: age, illness, personal relationships gone awry, and his ever-declining hearing took their toll. This later period, however, would be arguably even more impactful to the history of Western classical music, with works including his Ninth Symphony and late string quartets. With that struggle still in the future, the Eighth Symphony finds Beethoven at the height of his belief in himself and his ability to express himself in his art.

LISTEN FOR

• The dancing three-beat pulse of the first movement, which begins without the traditional introduction
• The steady, ticking pulse in the woodwinds underneath the main theme of the second movement—often compared to Haydn’s 101st Symphony, nicknamed “The Clock”
• The repetitive, undulating pattern that begins the third movement in the strings and is passed around the orchestra
• The wild ending section of the final movement, in which manically repeated notes create a humorous, jolly feeling

INSTRUMENTATION

Two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani, strings