Barenboim Conducts Beethoven Symphonies 1 and 2

Synopsis

A special night at the BBC Proms, as Daniel Barenboim embarks on his complete cycle of Beethoven symphonies, becoming the first conductor since Henry Wood in 1942 to perform all nine symphonies in a single Proms season. He begins the journey with Beethoven's First and Second Symphonies, performed by his acclaimed West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, which famously brings together both Arab and Israeli musicians and which he describes as 'less an orchestra for peace' than 'an orchestra against ignorance'. Throughout this symphony cycle, Barenboim pairs the revolutionary and visionary music of Beethoven with one of the great musical innovators of our time, Pierre Boulez, and here he presents the intricate and shimmering soundworlds of Boulez's Dérive 2. Introduced by Suzy Klein.