Music. Learn, enjoy, appreciate.

For two hundred years, Beethoven’s music has spoken to us and moved us in ways no previous composer had ever achieved. Born at a pivotal point in European social and musical history, Beethoven took the conventions of the Classical Period and moulded them into the beginnings of Romanticism in music.

This one-day music appreciation course will tell the tragic and inspiring story of Beethoven’s life, richly illustrated with portraits, readings, and the music of this great composer.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• identify aspects of Beethoven’s musical style
• describe how Beethoven’s music is related to the Classical and Romantic periods
• identify some of the genres of music Beethoven composed
• list some of Beethoven’s major works and describe their place in his musical output
• describe the main periods of Beethoven’s career
• list significant events in the life of Beethoven.

Content

Topics we will explore:

• What do we think of when we think about Beethoven?
• Beethoven’s place in music history
• Beethoven’s musical style - what makes Beethoven sound like Beethoven?
• The Classical period - music in Beethoven’s time
• Beethoven’s legacy
• Major events in the life of Beethoven
• The First Period (1770-1802)
• Beethoven’s early years in Bonn
• Vienna - then back to Bonn
• Vienna again
• Beethoven the pianist
• Beethoven’s deafness
• The Heiligenstadt Testament (1802)
• The Second Period (1802-1816)
• The heroic symphonies
• The Immortal Beloved Letter (1812)
• The Third Period (1816-1827)
• Beethoven and his nephew
• Late works
• The death of Beethoven
• Beethoven’s piano music, symphonies, concertos and chamber music

Music we will listen to:

• The “Moonlight” Sonata
• The “Pathetique” Sonata
• The “Hammerklavier” Sonata
• Fidelio
• The Violin Concerto
• Piano Concerto No. 5 ('Emperor')
• The Fifth Symphony
• The Pastoral Symphony
• The Choral Symphony, Ode to Joy
• The Diabelli Variations
• The Missa Solemnis
• Für Eilse
• The Rasumovsky Quartets
• The Archduke Trio

Intended audience

Designed for fans of classical music, beginners and experienced listeners alike.

Prerequisites

None

Delivery style

This course will be richly illustrated with musical examples, illustrations and video clips. The facilitator will use the piano to demonstrate musical concepts to the everyday listener. Questions will be encouraged, and there will be room for discussion throughout the course.

Materials

Handouts are distributed electronically