Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

The RPO is joined by conductor Jamie Phillips for Beethoven’s Symphony No.3. Beethoven originally saw the piece as an epic and revolutionary new path in music – inspired by the hope of a new, more democratic France led by Napoleon, but then Napoleon declared himself ‘Emperor’. Beethoven was furious! He shouted ‘Now he will also trample all human rights underfoot, and only pander to his own ambition; he will place himself above everyone else and become a tyrant.’ He scratched out the dedication to Napoleon and the symphony came to have the name ‘Eroica’.