Heroica de Beethoven

A concert devoted to the Heroica, Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, at the Auditorio Nacional de Madrid, a venue devoted above all to classical music.

Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55, known as the Heroica, was composed by Ludwig van Beethoven between 1803 and 1804 and premiered in Vienna in 1805. It has four movements and marks a change in the symphony of its time, being longer and more dramatic in character than those that preceded it. Beethoven originally dedicated it to Napoleon Bonaparte, but withdrew that dedication when the general proclaimed himself emperor in 1804.

The work opens with two chords in E flat major played by the whole orchestra. The second movement is a Funeral March in C minor, and the finale consists of a set of variations on the theme Beethoven had used in the ballet music Las criaturas de Prometeo.

The Auditorio Nacional de Madrid focuses its programming on classical music and is home to the Orquesta Nacional de España and the Coro Nacional de España. It is a hall designed for symphonic repertoire, with the stage serving as the point of reference for the orchestra and the audience.