2020 is the year that marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of what is considered the greatest symbol of Western music, Ludwig van Beethoven. His music mirrors the belief in the triumph of the spirit of the individual, by superimposing personal expression to the traditional form, breaking the foundations of Classicism and thus opening the way to Romanticism. "The summary of his work is freedom, political freedom, the artistic freedom of the individual, his freedom of choice, creed and individual freedom in all aspects of life". Beethoven composed 398 works, but the symphonies would be the focus of his energy, becoming the paradigm of the genre. The Symphony no. 1, In C major, Op. 21, is the first of nine symphonies. It was composed in Vienna in 1799 and dedicated to his friend Baron Van Swieten.