Noteworthy

By Denise Lai

Almost 200 years after the death of Ludwig van Beethoven, his music continues to captivate musicians and audiences alike. His compositions are studied in classrooms, streamed across digital platforms, and widely used in popular culture. You will often hear Beethoven on the soundtracks to movies, TV shows, and video games. His music pops up in surprising places like TikTok remixes and mashups from modern artists across genres, from disco to hip hop to EDM. 

Beethoven’s music is characterized by large dynamic spans, from barely audible to dead-rousing, mirroring the full spectrum of the human experience—joy, sorrow, triumph, and despair. It is introspective and complex, yet accessible, and has remained a staple of concert halls across the globe for centuries. During the 2025/26 season, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra will present six of Beethoven’s symphonies, spread across orchestras and venues. 

His Symphony No. 3 “Eroica” will be presented by the National Arts Centre Orchestra in their annual appearance on the TSO’s Masterworks Series. TSO Spotlight Artist Joshua Bell will bring a fresh interpretation when he conducts Symphony No. 7; its “Allegretto” made a poignant accompaniment to King George VI’s wartime radio address in the Hollywood blockbuster The King’s Speech. The serene and bucolic landscapes in Symphony No. 6 “Pastoral” will be contrasted by the lively and playful No. 8, under the baton of Music Director Gustavo Gimeno. 

Unquestionably, Beethoven’s Fifth and Ninth are his most famous symphonies, both cornerstones of the Western canon. “Fate knocking at the door”—the iconic opening notes of Symphony No.5—will resound throughout George Weston Recital Hall at the Meridian Arts Centre, launching the TSO’s expanded North York concert series. 

With Symphony No. 9, Beethoven broke new ground by integrating vocal and orchestral elements in a symphonic context. Its famous “Ode to Joy” is a symbol of peace and solidarity, often used in milestone events like Olympic ceremonies and EU celebrations. Programmed as the TSO’s season finale, it will unite audiences from all over the world in Toronto during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Gimeno praises Beethoven for his ingenuity in transforming simple, even sometimes banal melodies into powerful and emotional works. “Beethoven has always resonated with me in a very special way,” he says. “His character expression touches many different areas of our human existence. Beethoven is a composer I feel very close to, and he connects with parts of my feelings and personality that I find very profound.”

For musicians, Beethoven’s music can be both a technical challenge and an emotional journey. His compositions demand precision, interpretive depth, and expressive nuance. They are well crafted for every instrument, making them deeply satisfying to play. TSO Violin James Wallenberg enthuses that “Beethoven’s symphonies have it all. They encompass pathos, anger, serenity, power, beauty, playfulness, and are all orchestrated wonderfully.” TSO Double Bass Jesse Dale has special memories of playing Beethoven’s Ninth at the Tanglewood Music Festival to an audience of 10,000, “it was the end of the season with 10,000 people watching, and it's such a great memory." 

Eric Abramovitz, TSO Principal Clarinet, experiments with Beethoven’s music in novel ways. He composed a piece that reimagines some of Beethoven’s most famous melodies in a Klezmer style—“Ode to Oy”—which he regularly performs with his band, Schmaltz & Pepper. Abramovitz notes that “Beethoven’s symphonies will always stand the test of time. They’re full of beauty, drama, and raw emotion. These things will never go out of style. While they are beautifully structured works full of musical complexities, anyone can listen and be moved by the music, regardless of musical knowledge or inclination. This is the true genius of his music.”

Most of all, Beethoven’s music represents universal themes that are as relevant today as they were in his time. For younger audience members like William Xu, a 27-year-old PhD student who only started going to TSO concerts two years ago, Beethoven is an inspirational figure. “He showcases one of the best qualities of humanity: our ability to persevere,” Xu explains. “He started losing his hearing early on, but he didn’t let that be the end of his story. Instead, he pushed through, and his music culminated in the “Ode to Joy”, which is so remarkable considering all the suffering he went through. I think young people need Beethoven’s message now more than ever. We need to remind ourselves that we can survive no matter what is thrown at us. And when I think about people like Beethoven, who faced greater adversity and still found joy, that gives me hope.”

These sentiments are echoed by Anna Petrescu, a 33-year-old engineer who started the TSO Symphony Pals, a Discord community that connects like-minded young people in classical music conversations and appreciation. “Beethoven is special to me because his music embodies resilience and emotional depth,” she says. “Knowing he composed some of his greatest works while losing his hearing, and even after going completely deaf, makes his music all the more powerful and inspiring. It transcends time because it captures universal human emotions—struggle, triumph, hope—in a way that’s raw and personal. Even today, it resonates with young people like me because it feels honest and intense.”

Celebrate Beethoven’s enduring brilliance with the TSO. Explore the full lineup of concerts at TSO.CA/Concerts.