Immortality might be writing a piece of music that is so cool, so archetypal, that hundreds of years later, it’s still used in media that its creator never could have imagined existing. Case in point, Beethoven’s 7th Symphony, which was used to amazing effect in the dystopian world of the Emmy award-winning USA Network show, Mr. Robot. Or Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, recently used in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This old gold episode from the Classical Classroom vault, featuring independent producer Wesley Horner, focuses on the former. Hear Wesley’s theories about what makes an immortal piece of music tick.

Music in this episode:

• Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92, 2nd movement

Audio production by Todd “Toddtastic” Hulslander with deep, brooding glances from Dacia Clay.