Symphony No. 5 (Great Music)

SYMPHONY NO. 5 (Beethoven, German, 1804-1808)

When people want to joke around about classical music, they might stand up and raise their arms like a conductor, then wave them about as they say, "Da da da DAAAHH!" then a little lower "Da da da DAAAAAAHHHHH!" What they're mocking, of course, is one of the greatest--and most familiar--of all classical compositions, Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. Those four notes are just the beginning of the first of four movements; the remainder is equally inspiring, if less familiar. It has been performed in disco versions and rock and roll, on every conceivable instrument, and in movies, TV shows, and (wonderfully) cartoons. But to hear it live is to be transported!

• The Fifth is just one of Beethoven’s nine symphonies, in addition to other works like the Moonlight Sonata and "Fur Elise."

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(Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons; CTTO)