Join us for Classic FM’s Big Beethoven Celebration, on the 250th anniversary of the composer’s birth

9 December 2020, 07:30 | Updated: 14 December 2020, 11:12

We’ll be marking the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth with a selection of special programmes on Classic FM. Here’s what’s coming up...

This year, it’s the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig Van Beethoven – and we’ve got some exciting on-air activity to accompany the milestone.

On 16 December, which is believed to be the day Beethoven is born, we’ll be playing exactly 250 minutes of the composer’s finest music throughout the day.

Later that day, John Suchet will present an exclusive, all-Beethoven programme in The Classic FM Concert – featuring violinist Nicola Benedetti and Classic FM’s Orchestra on Tour, the Philharmonia Orchestra.

Read more: 25 things you literally *didn’t* know about Beethoven >

Pianist creates mesmerising visualisation of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata

The exclusive concert will be broadcast at 8pm, and will feature performances from the Philharmonia Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall last month – giving listeners a chance to hear the special closed-door concert in full.

Star violinist Nicola Benedetti will also join the Philharmonia Orchestra on stage for Beethoven’s only Violin Concerto.

Read more: Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight’ Sonata: discover the 1801 piano masterpiece >

And John continues his celebrations on the following weekend, with his Saturday evening programme Beethoven: The Man Revealed. On Saturday 19 December, John turns the clock back to reveal some of the mystery around the great composer’s arrival into the world, and explains why no-one is sure exactly when he was born.

John has announced a new podcast based on his programme, Beethoven: The Man Revealed, which is out on 16 December.

Join us for Classic FM’s Big Beethoven Celebration on 16 December. Classic FM is available across the UK on 100-102 FM, DAB digital radio and TV, at ClassicFM.com and on Global Player, the official Classic FM app.