Poster A rare portrait of Beethoven
A rare portrait of famous composer Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the very few contemporary portraits of the musician, is prepared for auction at Sotheby's auctioneers in London. The portrait by Waldmuller was painted in one sitting in 1823 in Vienna.
JOHNNY EGGITT/AFP/Getty Images
Performance Today®

Beethoven's Symphony No. 1

A new musical era began 216 years ago, with the premiere of Beethoven's Symphony No. 1. On Saturday's Performance Today, we'll hear it from a concert in Houston, as fresh and lively as ever.

Episode Playlist

Hour 1

Manuel de Falla: Ritual Fire Dance
Montreal Symphony Orchestra; Charles Dutoit, conductor
Essential Ballet Music
London 436658

Johann Sebastian Bach: Partita in D minor, BWV 1004: 4. Chaconne
Xiang Yu, violin
Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser Studio, St. Paul, MN

The Piano Puzzler: This week's contestant is Daniel Swartz from Clark Summit, PA

Manuel de Falla: Suite No. 2, from 'The Three-Cornered Hat'
New York Philharmonic; Alan Gilbert, conductor
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York, NY

Hour 2

Ludwig van Beethoven: Sonata No. 5 in C minor: 3. Finale Prestissimo
Paul Lewis, piano
Beethoven No. 4/Paul Lewis
Harmoni Mundi 901909

Ian Clarke: maya for two flutes and piano
Emma Resmini, flute; Alice Kogan Weinreb, flute; Bora Lee, piano
Engelman Recital Hall, Baruch Performing Arts Center, New York, NY

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 1, Op. 21
Houston Symphony; Andres Orozco-Estrada, conductor
Jones Hall, Houston, TX

Richard Strauss: String Sextet from Capriccio, Op. 85
Sean Lee, violin; Soovin Kim, violin; Paul Neubauer, viola; Mark Holloway, viola; Laurence Lesser, cello; Fredrik Schoyen Sjolin, cello
The Center for Performing Arts at Menlo-Atherton, Atherton, CA

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About Performance Today®

To find a station near you on our Stations Listings page, click here.

American Public Media’s Performance Today® is America’s most popular classical music radio program and a winner of the 2014 Gabriel Award for artistic achievement. The show is broadcast on hundreds of public radio stations across the country, including at 1 p.m. central weekdays on Minnesota Public Radio. More information about our stations can be found at APM Distribution.

Performance Today® features live concert recordings that can’t be heard anywhere else, highlights from new album releases, and in-studio performances and interviews. Performance Today® is based at the APM studios in St. Paul, Minnesota, but is frequently on the road, with special programs broadcast from festivals and public radio stations around the country. Also, each Wednesday, composer Bruce Adolphe joins host Fred Child for a classical musical game and listener favorite: the Piano Puzzler.

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