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Primary sourceDocument1803-1804

Symphony No. 3, Eroica

Ludwig van Beethoven · 1803-1804

Beethoven's large-scale Third Symphony, originally intended to honor Napoleon, marking the start of his innovative 'heroic' middle period.

Manuscript of the symphony Beethoven first dedicated to Napoleon, opening his heroic middle period.

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Close-up of aged, stained manuscript paper with ruled staff lines. Handwritten in ink: 'Sinfonia grande' with 'Intitolata' partly visible, 'Buonaparte' area torn and damaged, 'im Bey...' and 'del Sig' lines, and signed 'Louis van Beethoven' at the bottom.
Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony No. 3 'Eroica', manuscript title page, 1803-1804.

About this source

What it is

The Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, known as the 'Eroica', is a four-movement symphony composed mainly in 1803-1804. Beethoven first conducted it privately in 1804 and publicly in 1805.

Why it matters

The symphony broke boundaries in length, harmony and emotional scale, and is often seen as the first Romantic symphony. It was originally meant to honour Napoleon Bonaparte, showing how political events shaped Beethoven's art, and it opens the

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Ludwig van Beethoven and Napoleon Bonaparte on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Scan of a handwritten manuscript page of orchestral music on many staves, with pencil or ink notation, Italian and German text written under the staves, and a handwritten heading at the top. Appears to be a sketch or draft score page.Document

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1 March 1809

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