The Genius of Beethoven

Wednesday 7 April 2021

Peter Medhurst

Because of COVID-19 restrictions, this lecture will be available via Zoom only.

The lecture notes leaflet can be downloaded here

The pieces played by Peter during his lecture included:

  • Symphonies No3, No5 , Nos 7 and 8
  • Pastoral symphony no 6
  • Moonlight sonata
  • Ode to joy
  • Fur Elise
  • Sonata no 12
  • Sonata Pathetique No 8 in c minor Opus 13 and 49

 

Peter appears in the UK and abroad as a musician and scholar, giving recitals and delivering illustrated lectures on music and the arts. He studied singing and early keyboard instruments at the Royal College of Music and at the Mozarteum in Salzburg.

A popular lecturer, Peter is no stranger to The Arts Society Fylde and we look forward to welcoming him back for his fourth visit to our Society.

 

Famously, every morning of his adult life, Beethoven measured out exactly 60 coffee beans for his breakfast.  A man who is capable of such discipline over a cup of coffee, can surely apply that exactness elsewhere in his life; and in Beethoven’s case, it was applied to his compositions. In fact, the detail found in his music is often so subtle, that most people don’t even know it’s there. The lecture explores Beethoven’s genius as a writer of music, at the same time setting his extraordinary story against the backdrop of 19th century warfare, revolution and dramatic social changes. Beethoven will be 250 years old on 17 December 2020.

 

Caption: Portrait of Ludwig van Beethoven by Joseph Karl Stieler 1820; Public Domain