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TED-Ed

The secrets of the world’s most famous symphony - Hanako Sawada

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TEDEd Animation

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Eight ferocious notes open one of the most explosive pieces of music ever composed. Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony Number Five premiered in 1808, and quickly won acclaim. Its central motif and raw emotionality have continued to resound through the ages. So what exactly makes Beethoven’s Fifth so captivating? Hanako Sawada uncovers the story behind this musical masterpiece.

Additional Resources for you to Explore

Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn in 1770 and lived there until 1792. Explore this interactive website to learn more about his life. Beethoven was not even 30 years old when he started experiencing hearing loss. Consequently, Symphony No. 5 sounded like this to him. Yet Beethoven kept refining his works to communicate exactly what he wanted to express, which you can see in his manuscripts. Learn about and listen to more of his other works.

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Meet The Creators

Educator
Hanako Sawada
Director
Yael Reisfeld
Narrator
Jack Cutmore-Scott
Storyboard Artist
Yael Reisfeld
Animator
Yael Reisfeld
Compositor
Yael Reisfeld
Art Director
Yael Reisfeld
Composer
Jarrett Farkas
Sound Designer
Jarrett Farkas
Director of Production
Gerta Xhelo
Editorial Director
Alex Rosenthal
Producer
Bethany Cutmore-Scott
Editorial Producer
Dan Kwartler
Production Coordinator
Abdallah Ewis
Script Editor
Iseult Gillespie
Fact-Checker
Jennifer Nam

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