Beethoven’s set of incidental music, Egmont (op. 84), was composed in 1809–1810 following Vienna’s occupation by the French, for a performance of Goethe’s tragedy focusing on liberation from foreign tyranny. In the 16th-century story the Dutch Count Egmont sides with his own people in the struggle against King Philip II of Spain, for which he is captured and executed.

Beethoven composed nine “numbers” for the drama. The best-known movement of the work is the overture which encapsulates the main characters and message of the play. After an introduction evocative of oppression, the composer’s characteristic heroic music sounds, with a triumphant coda rounding off the overture.

In Act I the female protagonist Klärchen sings a song about the army marching into battle and her sweetheart Egmont (no.1, Die Trommel gerühret…), and sings the other vocal movement in Act III (no.4 Freudvoll und leidvoll…). The four entr’actes (no.2, 3, 5 and 6) establish a connection between the acts as they anticipate the atmosphere of the following scene.
In Act V, unable to free Egmont, Klärchen commits suicide (no. 7). The closing scene (no. 8) is a melodrama. Awaiting execution, Egmont’s words are accompanied by the orchestra. The Goddess of Liberty appears in a dream and carries him to the place of execution. His apotheosis in death closes Goethe’s drama following the return of the overture’s coda (no. 9). (László Gombos)