- Beethoven composed this symphony during the summer of 1803.
- The symphony was originally entitled Bonaparte, in tribute to Napoleon’s role in the French Revolution. However, when Napoleon proclaimed himself Emperor, Beethoven was disillusioned and renamed the work Sinfonia Eroica (Heroic Symphony). Beethoven famously tore the symphony’s original title page in half when he heard the news about Napoleon.
- Fun fact: Napoleon (1769-1821) and Beethoven (1770-1827) were not just contemporaries; they were only a year apart in age.
- When the Eroica was published in 1806, the score stated that it was “composed to celebrate the memory of a great man.” Some have interpreted this as a reference to Beethoven’s past perception of Napoleon’s greatness. It might also refer to Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia, who had died in 1806 while serving in the Napoleonic Wars.
- Prince Louis was a friend of Prince Lobkowitz, to whom Beethoven dedicated this symphony.1
Sources
- Douglas Johnson et al, “Beethoven, Ludwig van,” Grove Music Online (Oxford University Press, 2001), accessed February 10, 2021, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000040026.
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