Beethoven - Symphony No.3 in E flat major op.55 "Eroica" - II, Marcia funebre: adagio assai 1/2

Second movement, marcia funebre: adagio assai.
Beethoven had originally conceived of dedicating the symphony to Napoleon Bonaparte. The biographer Maynard Solomon relates that Beethoven admired the ideals of the French Revolution, and Napoleon as their embodiment. In the autumn the composer began to have second thoughts about that dedication. It would have deprived him of a fee that he would receive if he instead dedicated the symphony to Prince Franz Joseph Maximillian Lobkowitz. Nevertheless, he still gave the work the title of Bonaparte.
When Napoleon proclaimed himself Emperor of the French in December 1804, Beethoven became disgusted and went to the table where the completed score lay. He took hold of the title-page and scratched the name Bonaparte out so violently with a knife that he created a hole in the paper. He later changed the title to "Sinfonia eroica, composta per festeggiare il sovvenire d'un grand'uomo" ("heroic symphony, composed to celebrate the memory of a great man").

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[mnoola]

i really respect bethoven

[drbortz]

@obiwanwanobi

I think the whole symphony is about 50 minutes long. This is only the second movement of four.

[obiwanwanobi]

I feel like I am missing something: when I saw a version of this piece live, it was about 50 minutes long. why?

[Nibelungenherr1876]

My favorite Beethoven symphony along with 7th and 6th! Did you know this was also Beethoven's personal favorite? Although, he said that before he had composed his 9th.

This movement is (along with Siegfried's funeral march from Göttertdämmerung) greatest funeral marech ever! Thank you!