BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 3; Leonore Ouverture 2 - Bernard Haitink, London Symphony Orchestra (Hybrid SACD)

Beethoven took a massive stride forward in the development of the symphonic form with the 'Eroica'. Not only is the work written on an unprecedented scale, it also lays the very foundations of Romanticism in music.The symphony mirrors Beethoven's own emergence from despair and he used it to symbolize mankind's capacity for greatness. He initially dedicated the score to Napoleon whom embodied his view of greatness. However, when Napoleon crowned himself Emperor, Beethoven furiously removed the dedication from the score.

'An amazing level of audible detail in even the most heavily scored passages... I respect both Haitink for his willingness to rethink his interpretation and the LSO for its evident enthusiasm in giving him what he requires.'
Classics Today