Listen to Beethoven’s Fifth in the style of Chopin

Bristol-based musician Syd R. Duke arranged Beethoven’s epic fifth symphony into a work for piano. Mind you, Ludwig’s original is scored for piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, contrabassoon, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani and strings.

What makes Duke’s feat even more impressive is that he completely changed the style of the work itself, reworking it in pure Chopin fashion. This means that the segment which he decided to arrange is light, delicate, slightly melancholic and, yes, graceful (sorry, Beethoven, but “graceful” is not an adjective that easily applies to your symphonies, which is not necessarily)

Syd Duke is known for his peculiar arrangements, which include the Pokemon Theme on a classical guitar and a “Fugue on a Theme of Eminem”. Let’s hope he will resume uploading his work.

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