When you walk into a concert hall, there’s an established set of conventions and etiquette (“don’t cough!”; “don’t cheer!”; “dress appropriately!”) that’s more about demonstrating belonging than appreciating the music. That's thanks to Beethoven — or really, thanks to the wealthy white men who turned his Fifth symphony into a symbol of their own superiority and importance.
For others — women, LGBTQ+ people, people of color — the Fifth is predominantly a reminder of classical music’s history of exclusion and elitism. In Movement III, we explore how Beethoven’s symphony transformed from a symbol of triumph and freedom into a symbol of division and gatekeeping — everything we love to hate about classical music today.
Featuring
James Bennett II, Critic
Kyle Zerna, Percussion
and
Phoebe Neidhardt as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Recording of The New York Philharmonic performing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 conducted by Jaap van Zweden used by permission from Decca Gold.
Hear new episodes of our four-part miniseries The 5th every Tuesday and Friday starting September 8th.
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