Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 2, Op. 72a (with Score)

Ludwig van Beethoven:
Leonore Overture No. 2, Op. 72a (with Score)
Composed: 1805
Conductor: Claudio Abbado
Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Beethoven struggled to produce an appropriate overture for Fidelio, and ultimately went through four versions. His first attempt, for the 1805 premiere, is believed to have been the overture now known as "Leonore No. 2". Beethoven then focused this version for the performances of 1806, creating "Leonore No. 3". The latter is considered by many listeners as the greatest of the four overtures, but as an intensely dramatic, full-scale symphonic movement it had the effect of overwhelming the (rather light) initial scenes of the opera. Beethoven accordingly experimented with cutting it back somewhat, for a planned 1808 performance in Prague; this is believed to be the version now called "Leonore No. 1". Finally, for the 1814 revival Beethoven began anew, and with fresh musical material wrote what we now know as the Fidelio overture. As this somewhat lighter overture seems to work best of the four as a start to the opera, Beethoven's final intentions are generally respected in contemporary productions.
Leonore Overture No. 1, Op. 138 (1808) - • Beethoven: Leonore Ove...
Leonore Overture No. 2, Op. 72a (1805) - • Beethoven: Leonore Ove...
Leonore Overture No. 3, Op. 72b (1806) - • Beethoven: Leonore Ove...
Fidelio Overture, Op. 72 (1814) - • Beethoven: "Fidelio" O...

[@canman5060]

This is the best of all four.

[@ultradmann2367]

This is my first time ever hearing this overture and the 1st. Being so familiar with the 3rd, it's so jarring to hear that all the motifs, progressions and etc. were ripped straight from this. My ears were hearing and anticipating the the phrases melodic lines from the 3rd but my brain would have to remind me that this is definitely the 2nd. This is pretty dope and I am glad I heard this, thanks~

[@JoshyG]

I have the same thoughts exactly, except I only listened to No. 2 for ages. You can imagine my surprise when I heard No. 3 lmao

[@Fritz_Maisenbacher]

@@JoshyG this second one is so beautiful .........

[@los6416]

imo the second is better than the third

[@weedermann]

6:40 Beethoven snatched a passage straight from Mozart's 5th Violin Concerto.

[@Der_Komponist]

Mozart was also Beethoven's greatest role model.

[@AzraEase]

This is the best night with me and Beethoven

[@Eddy525_violin]

Which one? I can’t really tell

[@lisahinton9682]

Reading the information provided in the description, about the four different versions and why there are four, was just so informative. Thank you for including it. Listening to this while watching the score was extremely soul-satisfying and gave me goosebumps toward the end. Thank you so much.

[@nivdel]

I was in need of this. Thanks

[@enriquegarciamiranda6562]

Solo de trompeta 11:54 aprox.

[@tomyamartino]

I learned 2 first, so I have that bias, but I genuinely feel that 2 is the best. 3 feels fiddled with, and I was pleased to find that 2 was probably the first one he wrote. I think B got feedback that it was too big, and so he rewrote. 2 was his statement. I actually like 1 more than 3.

[@mirrors1]

Non possiamo rinunciare neanche a questa Leonore n. 2. Contiene dei gioielli che ne fanno un'opera degna del miglior Beethoven sinfonico. In particolare i violoncelli hanno un trattamento speciale da non poterci rinunciare. Dopo lo squillo di tromba ciò che accade è di un'espressività impressionante. Insomma le 3 Leonore sono opere belle e finite e indipendenti le une dalle altre anche se condividono alcuni temi. Grandissimo Beethoven. Che Dio l'abbia in gloria imperitura. Da parte nostra non possiamo che ringraziarlo all'infinito.

[@dzinypinydoroviny]

This is absolutely unbelievable. This piece seems to be Beethoven's romantic ideals compressed and daringly put on paper despite what anyone may think about them. Let's take the harmony for example: It starts on a grandiose g in octaves (which is deceiving on its own) and starts descending. On beat 1 of measure 2, there is just a hint at the tonic chord but it's just the third and the fifth, and thus can't really be considered to be the tonic chord. The c that's been omitted in the chord only appears as a passing note on beat 3 in measure 4. Then the first actual full-fledged chord is the extremely remote F#7 and it seems to cadence to Bm. Then there's an array of modulations to various regions (not including C-major) and roving harmonies. The first point of perceived tonal stability occurs four minutes into the piece with a loud tonic chord but again, it's not C-major yet, it's Ab-major this time. After that and a few modulatory chords we finally seem to have arrived to C-major, but we still aren't getting the satisfying resolution -(the note c is even altered to c# in the connecting melody of the basses and the tonic chord has appeared, however only as passing harmony in what appears to be a dominant preparation, though without resolution since it's followed by a nonchalant modulatory excursion to Eb-major. All this is followed by a strange combination of the chromatic character of the basses that seems adventurous and the easy diatonic character of the woodwinds. The long-awaited modulation to C-major occurs via a bII+6 chord implied by the basses (very unusual means even for music much later) six minutes into the piece (almost halfway through!). Where is the grand resolution that we've expected for so long? The main theme couldn't be tamer - just celli playing the melody (not doubled by the double basses) on a tonic pedal point held by a horn and the violas, all pianissimo. How much of a relief it is to finally hear that build up come to flourish half a minute later! All this and we've yet just begun!

[@Kyubiwan]

I thought there were gonna be two more chords after that final chord

[@TheProms]

Priceless.

[@Dershana-b3n]

Truely a great overture.

[@johnboore7767]

Energy crisis? Just tap into some of this!

[@akise3]

ヘルベルト・ブロムシュテット指揮・シュターツカペレ・ドレスデン演奏・録音「レオノーレ」（1805年版 第一稿 3幕）の日本版LPを1970"sに入手して聴いて来ましたが、近年ドイツ盤が手に入ったので交互に重ねてオートチェンジャーで手間要らずで聴いています。序曲のスペクタル感が心地良いですね（kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2bdnH6VaqqHopo）

[@basilelefebvre7244]

12:27 trumpet excerpt

[@janetchen6992]

1:59

[@onuhehe7888]

Haaliii

[@janetchen6992]

2. 6:15

[@SoteroElDelRincon]

Is this really the Overture played 12 days before the battle of Austerlitz?

[@trainsonly8091]

11:15

[@user-qp4yn8mb3n]

11:57 팡파르

[@pdr770]

אריה-לא להפסדי במלחמת העולם על אף שניסיתי וניסיתי לא היה בידיי. עם אוש כואב לאנושות ובריחה בסוף. עם 3 ו2 ו1 ו5 לאנושות היהודית ב11:30. ב6:47 זה שמח זה לא אמור להיות שמח. ו2 בסוף לחיים עם 2 איטי. הוא התכוון לנפוליון וסיכן את חייו ומשפחתו.

[@user-ju6er8sr3j]

5:45

[@여진-y2u]

12:00