200 years since death

Do good whenever possible, love freedom above all things and, even if it were for a throne, never betray the truth.

Ludwig van Beethoven (Bonn, December 16, 1770-Vienna, March 26, 1827) is, without a doubt, one of the most universal musicians of all time. The commemoration of the two hundredth anniversary of his death is an ideal pretext to celebrate the figure of a composer who represents a fundamental turning point in the European musical tradition: heir to the Classicism of Haydn and Mozart, but at the same time visionary of a new language that would open the doors to Romanticism.

In the case of the Palau de la Música Catalana, the strategic position occupied by his serious and solemn bust on one of the sides of the stage becomes a physical and also symbolic presence that presides over all the concerts in the hall. The figure of Beethoven reminds us of his importance as the personification of the modern artist and defender of the values ​​of the Enlightenment, especially goodness, freedom and fraternity in favor of truth. Values ​​that form the moral ideal of peace.

Beethoven's works continue to be among the most appreciated by the public today. In these scores, Beethoven expanded the formal and expressive limits of music, endowing it with a dramatic force and emotional depth that have continued to challenge generations of performers and listeners. The Palau de la Música Catalana will host a wide selection of his catalogue, especially the orchestral, concerto and choral repertoire, such as the complete nine Symphonies, the Missa solemnis or his only opera, Fidelio, works in which his deep convictions and moral values ​​are revealed.

Ludwig van Beethoven