Wellington's Victory - 1st mov, The Battle - Beethoven

This is for all you Britons out there! ^^

The first movement from Ludwig van Beethoven's grand tribute to the great general's victory at Vittoria, 1813, and it's quite a spectacular piece. It also shows the maestro's great affection to Britain, as it features partials from "Rule Britannia" and "For he's a jolly good fellow".

Enjoy!

From the 1989 album "Battle Music", DDD.
CSR Orchestra (Bratislava)
Conducted by Ondrej Lenerd.
Also called the Battle Symphony.

Wellingtons Sieg. Opus 91

Category:

Music

Tags:

• battle
• music
• ludwig
• van
• beethoven
• csr
• orchestra
• ondrej
• lenerd
• classical
• wellington
• victory
• vittoria
• british

[sstuddert]

I'm not listening to this for Briton, but for Beethoven!

[IForgottenHopeI]

Well it must be remembered that the Spanish fought many battles on their own (they were defeated on almost every occassion though except for Bailen and San Marcial)

What kicked the French out and what defeated them in the majourity of the battles were the British (plus the Portugal elements of Wellingtons army) but of the 300,000 French casualties, i'd guess 160,000-180,000 were from the Spanish or disease and sickness if you go by what the historians and generals say.

[raxkar]

@rodrigocientista Actualy yes, but it wasn't composed for orchestra, it was for a solo instrument I think called orchestrion and it was really popular at his time... a bit like pop music... not necessarily good music but popular. But I think it's a really good depiction of a war at that time.

[godkingRoss]

A real Englishman loves the real Germans.

[KrillLiberator]

"By God, no! If it had been, I should have run away myself!"

The Duke of Wellington's pithy reply on being asked if the symphony was anything like the actual battle.

[TheDaviboy86]

god shave the queen

[SirSebastianWang]

Although less dramatic and ingenious than of course the 3rd, and far inferior to the 7th and 8th, being composed around the same time, this piece still is a good listen. Nothing compared to the great, titanic and ambitious works Beethoven composed around the time, but still good.

[MegaTouchy]

Out of curiosity why are the ratings disabled?

[ArminiusvanLand]

Genius music from a genius composer

[TheMindae]

Hehe, seems like Napoleon made himself unpopular. Play this and the 1812 and one may hear the echoes of a war

[sstuddert]

@jockhamish ok buddy, calm down.

[jockhamish]

@135yearswaiting The French march 'Marlbourough won the war' in the music,was taken as a prisoner by the victorious British and changed into 'For he's a jolly good fellow'! (Usually sung by the Hooray Henry brigade)