Beethoven Turkish March

Composed in 1811 by Beethoven, The Ruins of Athens (Die Ruinen von Athen), Opus 113, is a set of incidental pieces written to accompany the play of the same name by August von Kotzebue. In 1822, Beethoven wrote a revised version of the work's overture, called the Consecration of the House Overture.

Perhaps the best-known music from The Ruins of Athens is the Turkish March, a theme with which even many who are not avid classical music listeners are familiar, and which Beethoven had used earlier in his Six Variations on an Original Theme, Opus 76. In 1924, Richard Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal composed another version of The Ruins of Athens.

The music of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) is one of humanity's greatest treasures. Unsurpassed in its power of expression as well as its depth and diversity of ideas and feelings, it provides boundless joy to listeners and performers.