Beethoven with Phoenix Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, and more

Ludwig van Beethoven, a German composer and pianist from Bonn, bridged the Classical and Romantic eras with his innovative, emotionally intense music. Renowned for works like the "Moonlight Sonata," Fifth Symphony, and Ninth Symphony, he revolutionized instrumental music, elevating it to high art. He continued composing despite profound deafness.

Richard Strauss, born in Munich, Germany, was a leading late Romantic and early Modern German composer and conductor. Renowned for his tone poems, including *Also sprach Zarathustra*, and operas like *Der Rosenkavalier*, he mastered orchestral and vocal composition. Strauss collaborated notably with librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal. He was also a successful conductor of orchestras and director of opera houses.