Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) completed Symphony No. 6 in 1808. Also known as the �Pastoral Symphony,� it was first performed at a benefit concert that took place at the Theater an der Wien on December 22, 1808, alongside the composer�s Symphony No. 5, his Piano Concerto No. 4, and his Choral Fantasy. A lover of nature, Beethoven often spent a great deal of time walking in the countryside away from Vienna � it was from these walks that he drew inspiration for Symphony No. 6, stating that it is �more the expression of feeling than painting.� The composer titled each movement of the symphony; it is one of Beethoven�s few works that contains explicitly programmatic content. Instrumentation: 2+Picc.2.2.2: 2.2.2.0: Timp: Str(9-8-7-6-5 in set).