Ludwig Van Beethoven - Coriolan Overture, Op. 62

The Coriolan Overture (Ouvertüre Coriolan), Op. 62, is a 1807 composition by Beethoven, based on Heinrich Joseph’s von Collin’s 1804 tragedy about the ancient Roman leader Gaius Marcius Coriolanus, not, as is sometimes claimed, for Shakespeare’s play Coriolanus. The structure and themes of the overture follow the play very generally, the main Cm theme represents Coriolanus’ resolve and war-like tendencies, while the more tender Eb theme represents the pleadings of his mother to desist. The overture was premiered in March 1807 at a private concert of the home of Prince Franz Joseph von Lobkowitz. The Symphony No. 4 in B flat and the Piano Concerto No. 4 in G were premiered in that same concert.