The opening of Beethoven’s Fifth symphony is perhaps the most instantly recognizable piece of classical music; it has been reused and remixed in film and pop music, sent into interstellar space on board of the Voyager spacecraft, immortalized in wartime BBC broadcasts. But can that familiarity sometimes obscure the groundbreaking nature and emotional power of the work?

The young conductor Elim Chan opens the 2024 Proms season with the BBC Symphony Orchestra in a program that also includes a brand new work from a young British/Japanese composer.

Andrew McGregor and conductor Alice Farnham introduce this concert from the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 5 in C minor

Airs on Saturday, August 3 at 2pm and Sunday, August 4 at 4am

More Posts for Show: BBC Proms Highlights on World Service