In keeping with the classical theme this week, today’s Hi-Fi Friday features what may be the single most famous piece of music created out of personal pain. Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony (DUM DUM DUM DUUUUM!!) is an entirely essential piece of music, from symphony repertories to a child’s first piano lesson. Often called the “Fate’s Symphony”, I once considered the piece a joke of sorts, thanks in large part to “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” and the serial “Beethoven” family movies, but my music history professor set the record straight.

Many scholars consider Beethoven to be the greatest composer to have ever lived. Mozart composed so quickly and prolifically he often failed to connect the stems to his notes, but Beethoven famously labored over his scores, his manuscripts marked with coffee stains and eraser marks. And where Mozart composed dozens of symphonic works and hundreds of pieces in his lifetime, Beethoven only composed 9 symphonies. Even still, he is the only composer to typically have an entire chapter devoted to him in music history textbooks.

But if there is anything Beethoven is famous for apart from his music, it is that he was deaf, but Beethoven wasn’t born that way. His career was well established, his brilliance as a composer lauded across Europe, before his hearing began to fade. I can only imagine how hard it would have been to come to terms with this. Obviously, though, Beethoven collected himself and poured all of his frustration and determination in his 5th Symphony. Hence the nickname.

As we’ve considered creation in the midst of personal pain, give this a listen. Have a great weekend.