Although the Fifth Symphony is considered one of Beethoven's greatest musical works, at the time of its premiere the composer's contemporaries were still smitten with his Third Symphony (the "Eroica"). Gradually, understanding of the piece grew as audiences began to associate it with Beethoven's life and musical style. The symphony continued to rise in popularity and is now commonly used at inaugural concerts of new orchestras, as well as throughout popular culture. Beethoven began composing the piece in 1804, though several other projects forced him to postpone his writing. The Fifth Symphony premiered with the Sixth at Beethoven's "marathon" concert, and was dedicated to Prince Lobkowitz and Count Andreas Rasumovsky. Musicians with inadequate practice time faltered through the performance.
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