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	67
Form	Symphony
Composed	1804 (1804)–1808
Dedication	J. F. M. Lobkowitz Andreas Razumovsky
Duration	About 30–40 minutes
Movements	Four
Scoring	Symphony orchestra
Premiere
Date	22 December 1808
Location	Theater an der Wien, Vienna
Conductor	Ludwig van Beethoven

The Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, also known as the Fate Symphony (German: Schicksalssinfonie), is a symphony composed by Ludwig van Beethoven between 1804 and 1808. It is one of the best-known compositions in classical music and one of the most frequently played symphonies,^[1] and it is widely considered one of the cornerstones of western music. 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 during the Classical period, Beethoven's Fifth Symphony has four movements.

It begins with a distinctive four-note "short-short-short-long" motif, often characterized as "fate knocking at the door", the Schicksals-Motiv (fate 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.

Like Beethoven's Eroica (heroic) and Pastorale (rural), Symphony No. 5 was given an explicit name besides the numbering, though not by Beethoven himself.