Symphony No 5 (Beethoven)

Symphony in C minor
No. 5
by Ludwig van Beethoven
Cover of the symphony, with the dedication to Prince J. F. M. Lobkowitz and Count Rasumovsky
Key	C minor
Opus	Op. 67
Period	Classical period
Form	Symphony
Composed	1804 (1804)–1808
Dedication	J. F. M. Lobkowitz Andreas Razumovsky
Duration	About 30–40 minutes
Movements	Four
Scoring	Orchestra
Premiere
Date	22 December 1808
Location	Theater an der Wien, Vienna
Conductor	Ludwig van Beethoven

The Symphony No. 5 in C minor of Ludwig van Beethoven, Op. 67, was written between 1804–1808. It is one of the best-known compositions in classical music, and one of the most frequently played symphonies. First performed in Vienna's Theater an der Wien in 1808, the work achieved its prodigious reputation soon afterward. E. T. A. Hoffmann described the symphony as "one of the most important works of the time". As is typical of symphonies in the classical period, Beethoven's Fifth Symphony is in four movements.

It begins with a distinctive four-note "short-short-short-long" motif:

The symphony, and the four-note opening motif in particular, are known worldwide, with the motif appearing frequently in popular culture, from disco versions to rock and roll covers, to uses in film and television.

Since the Second World War, it has sometimes been referred to as the "Victory Symphony". "V" is the Roman character for the number five; the phrase "V for Victory" became well known as a campaign of the Allies of World War II. That Beethoven's Victory Symphony happened to be his Fifth (or vice versa) is coincidence. Some thirty years after this piece was written, the rhythm of the opening phrase – "dit-dit-dit-dah" – was used for the letter "V" in Morse code, though this is probably also coincidental. During the Second World War, the BBC prefaced its broadcasts to Europe with those four notes, played on drums.