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Beethoven’s Eroica is, for some, considered the greatest symphony ever written, creating the foundations of Romanticism on the part of its unprecendented scale, gestures and depth of expression. The context in which the symphony was written reflects the works raw passion. On hearing that Napoleon had crowned himself emperor (the symphony’s original dedicatee), Beethoven famously tore the title page in half, scored out the offending name, and re-dedicated it to Prince Lobkowitz.
‘Between 1864 and 1868 I rewrote my Violin Concerto at least half a dozen times,’ despaired Max Bruch, although the glorious work that emerged became a runaway bestseller. The only problem was he’d accepted a one-off payment and lost out on a fortune in royalties! Also being performed, Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture, a work inspired by the composer’s 1829 visit to Scotland’s Isle of Staffa and his rejection of traditional 'folksiness' - 'Please, no national music!' he famously exclaimed.










