Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral"

Album by Ludwig van Beethoven & Philharmonia Orchestra & Vladimir Ashkenazy

Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral" is the sixth symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven, composed and premiered in 1808. The work adopts a pastoral, programme-like approach within the Classical–Romantic symphonic tradition, using lyrical melodies, folk-like rhythms and evocative orchestral colour to depict rural scenes and weather, and it represents a key instance of Beethoven incorporating explicitly descriptive elements into his mature symphonic writing.