Instrumentation: 3(III=picc).3(III=corA).2.2 - 4.2.3.(III=brbn).1 - timp.perc - harp - strings

This work’s title is both a reference to Beethoven’s immortal beloved--whoever she may be--and the mythology associated with horses and their relationship with humanity. I sought through this music to programmatically depict the forging of an emotionally and spiritually-rich working partnership between the free-spirited animal and her rider.

Musically, I drew themes from Ludwig van Beethoven’s sixth symphony, the Pastorale, recontextualizing them as dramatic leitmotifs depicting the emotional states of wonderment, gritty determination, and elated joy, within a textural environment evoking epic vistas and the freedom of the open plains.

I was inspired by many things in the writing of this work--the real horses I’ve come to know and love, the mythology surrounding horses from Pegasus to Rosinante, and the solace I find in nature alongside my dog, especially during the extreme stresses of the Covid-19 Pandemic. The horse, both beautiful and powerful, encapsulates the potential for harmony between humanity and the rest of the natural world.

This work was my second composition of my Beethoven Episodes series, featuring short orchestral works to serve as preludes on programs that include any of his nine symphonies, in honour of his two hundred and fiftieth anniversary this year. I hope you find this little piece achieves its intended evocations!