Symphony No. 3 (Beethoven)
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The Symphony No. 3 in E♭ major, Op. 55, titled as the Eroica Symphony, is a symphony in four movements by Ludwig van Beethoven.
Beethoven's title page which shows his erasure of dedication of the work to Napoleon
Beethoven most likely composed the Eroica in reverse order.
Beethoven originally dedicated the symphony to Napoleon Bonaparte (pictured: Bonaparte, First Consul, by Ingres), only to renege after the latter declared himself Emperor of the French.
Napoleon
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Napoleon Bonaparte, later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was Emperor of the French from 18 May 1804 until his first abdication in 1814, with a brief restoration during the Hundred Days in 1815.
Symphony No. 3 (Beethoven)
…explanation is that Mozart and Beethoven each coincidentally heard and learned the theme from elsewhere. Beethoven originally dedicated the 3rd symphony to Napoleon Bonaparte, who he believed embodied the democratic and anti-monarchical ideals of the French Revolution. In the autumn of 1804, Beethoven withdrew his dedication…
Napoleon's father, Carlo Buonaparte, fought for Corsican independence under Pasquale Paoli. After their defeat, he eventually became the island's representative to Louis XVI's court.
Bonaparte, aged 23, as lieutenant-colonel of a battalion of Corsican Republican volunteers. Portrait made in 1835 by Henri Félix Emmanuel Philippoteaux.
Bonaparte at the Siege of Toulon, 1793, by Édouard Detaille