For Its Time, Beethoven's 3rd Symphony Was Revolutionary. It Was Intended To Be Dedicated To Napoleon

For its time, Beethoven's 3rd Symphony was revolutionary. It was intended to be dedicated to Napoleon Bonaparte, the great liberator of Europe. But when Napoleon crowned himself as Emperor of France, Beethoven tore up the dedication page. For the first time, a composer had written a very personal and biographical symphony. Before symphonies were simply given numbers, and were made to order by the patron of the composer for special occasions as background music for private parties and or to display the wealth of the patron and their good taste in music. This great symphony was original and complex. It opened the symphony up so it could be a psychological expression of the composer's mind.