Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 1

Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21, published in 1801, was dedicated to Baron Gottfried van Swieten, an early patron of the composer. The symphony is a sort of homage to Beethoven's predecessors, particularly his teacher Joseph Haydn as well as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, but nonetheless has characteristics that mark it uniquely as Beethoven's work, notably the frequent use of sudden shifts in tonal centers that were uncommon for traditional symphonic form (particularly in the 3rd movement), and the prominent, more independent use of wind instruments.