Symphony No. 8

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 has the misfortune of being in between the seventh and the ninth. Nevertheless, it’s a piece that Beethoven greatly appreciated, affectionately calling it “my little symphony,” unlike the seventh, which he considered his “most excellent symphony.” It features other sides of the composer’s personality, namely his sense of humour. 

Beethoven composed it in 1812 in the small village of Teplice, now part of the Czech Republic. There he met Amalie Sebald, a singer from Berlin whom he had met the previous summer. The two had a romantic relationship and exchanged flirtatious letters. While it wasn’t a great love story, Amalie’s enjoyable company may have contributed to the light and cheerful ambiance of Symphony No. 8. 

In addition to its cheerfulness, Symphony No. 8 is characterized by a more classical style, bringing it closer to Haydn and Mozart. Against all expectations, Beethoven included a minuet, even though he himself had abandoned the noble minuet in his first symphony in favour of the more invigorating scherzo.