The Fifth Symphony, probably the most popular of Beethoven’s Symphonies, was first performed in 1808. Beethoven described this Symphony as ‘Fate knocks at the door’. With this as a clue, we are justified in reading into the Symphony a musical depiction of Beethoven’s struggle with the fate of deafness. In this Symphony, Beethoven builds music of breath-taking proportions, overpowering in its force and strength. The Finale is a magnificent triumph that rewards the acceptance of one’s inevitable fate. This was the first time that Beethoven added trombones to a symphony to emphasise the power of conquest.
