Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 'Pastoral', Op. 68
by Ludwig van Beethoven
Composed alongside the Fifth Symphony and premiered together in 1808, the Pastoral is Beethoven's only programmatic symphony, depicting scenes of country life in five movements. Subtitled 'Recollections of country life, expressed in tones rather than painting,' it is notable for its lyrical warmth, bird-call imitations in the slow movement, and a thunderstorm that yields to a shepherd's thanksgiving hymn.
Editions
Breitkopf & Härtel
Lionel Robbins, 1862
Part of the complete Beethoven works edition; long a standard orchestral reference.
Bärenreiter
Jonathan Del Mar, 1999
Authoritative critical edition based on all surviving autograph and early print sources; the preferred scholarly text.
Eulenburg
Max Unger, 1936
Compact study score edition widely used by students and conductors.