Last Updated on September 7, 2025
Exploring Beethoven with The Aurora Symphony Orchestra
The first performance of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony took place on May 7th 1824 at the Vienna Kärnthnerthor Theatre. 200 years later, what better way to mark this than by a prom, performing the entire symphony from memory and introducing the work with a unique theatrical production, making use of the orchestra, conductor, a couple of actors and the whole audience (over five and a half thousand people).
By the time the 9th Symphony was completed, Beethoven was completely deaf and relied on ‘Conversation Books’ to go about his daily life. And yet, he completed a work that remains a groundbreaking and iconic masterpiece in the classical music world. The symphony is notable for its unprecedented inclusion of a choir and vocal soloists in its final movement, a move that defied the conventions of the time. Based on Friedrich Schiller’s poem, the symphony’s climactic “Ode to Joy” has become a universal anthem of unity and hope.
To introduce us to the work, deaf actor Rhiannon May and Actor/BSL interpreter Thomas Simper playing the composer and those in his life at the time were joined by Principal Conductor of the Aurora Nichola Collon, members of the orchestra and a team of soloists from the BBC Singers to provide the signed sol-fa musicians.
Using excerpts from Beethoven’s conversation books (the notebooks he used to communicate), we were taken on a journey that involved chickens, a hair cut and considerable insight into how the work might have been conceived all done through the spoken word, signing and through the instrumentalists of the Aurora Orchestra.
I particularly liked Collon’s explanation of the opening to the fourth movement where the lower strings do indeed seem to be having a debate about what should come next. And the audience participation sol-fa with the occasional reference to The Sound of Music.
But, most significantly, we all learnt what to listen out for in the second half, when the Symphony was played in full. There was the kind of enthusiasm that comes about from a good Prom audience and sweeps everyone along. All this was made possible by an orchestra who knew the entire work from memory and could ‘play their lines’ as effectively as any actors. Conceived and written by Aurora’s Creative Director Jane Mitchell, the presentation was engaging and memorable, a splendid insight into the work.
What of the symphony itself? The orchestra for the most part were splendid, enthusiastic and passionate. A few wobbles in the horns and some balance issues that I’d put down in part to the overwhelmingly positive first half. But the feat of playing this work entirely from memory does pay off, with a closeness in the ensemble and intimacy between sections that is quite unique. I’m full of admiration for those players who were on their feet for most of the first half and all of the second half of the evening too.
The solo quartet, Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha, Marta Fontanals-Simmons, Brenden Gunnell and Christopher Purves was the weakest link for me, simply because all the soloists seemed to lack the power to soar effectively over the orchestra and the combined forces of The National Youth Choir and the BBC Singers. That could well be the notorious acoustics of the Royal Albert Hall and the fact that the auditorium was full to the brim.
The fabulous and well-articulated voices of the choir were impressive, with splendid dynamic range and true professionalism and I loved watching them signing and singing their way through the Ode to Joy. The Bavarian brass band added just a note of Germanic humour too.
A standing ovation at the end, just as Beethoven received at the first performance, was well deserved.
We’re currently about halfway through the 2024 Prom season and I’m now regretting not paying more attention to the schedule. If you’d like to hear Beethoven’s 9th from the Aurora, it’s available on BBC Sounds for the next 50 days or so. You can find it from this link
And to check out the remaining proms, do check the schedule here
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