Season Seven of Beethoven on the Green concludes this week with the Symphony No 8 in F Major. The 8th is a cheerful, happy symphony, full of Beethoven's signature musical jokes and off-beat accents. It is light-hearted, but not light weight. Formally it hearkens back to Mozart and Haydn, but Beethoven's mature style is evident throughout. Beethoven considered it to be a better composition than the much more popular 7th. Because the 8th is shorter than others performed this month it will be paired with the Piano Sonata, Op 90.
