Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60

Composed in the summer of 1806 and premiered in Vienna in March 1807, the Fourth Symphony occupies a fascinating position between the heroic Third and the dramatic Fifth. Schumann famously compared it to 'a slender Greek maiden between two Norse giants'. Its four movements radiate wit, lyricism, and formal elegance: the slow introduction of the first movement gradually unveils a singing Allegro vivace; the Adagio is one of Beethoven's most beautiful slow movements; the Scherzo crackles with rhythmic ingenuity; and the finale is a whirlwind of perpetual motion. Though overshadowed in popular esteem by its neighbours, conductors and players have consistently ranked it among Beethoven's finest.