RA - Beethoven: The Music, The Man, The Myth

Beethoven: The Music, The Man, The Myth
Thursday, January 31st
10:00 am – 11:30 am
Instructor: Dr. Thomas Cimarusti, $20 per person

For many the music of Ludwig van Beethoven represents some of the finest and most sublime music in the Western tradition. What was it about Beethoven’s music that is “great” and that set it apart from his contemporaries? This lecture will cover several of the composer’s most important works, and ones that helped him redefine musical genres. We will begin with an examination of the intimate solo piano works (Moonlight Sonata) and the quartets (Quartet in C# minor). We will conclude our discussion with the monumental Symphony #9. Our focus will be how Beethoven challenged musical conventions and consequently forged a new path in music – one that would greatly impact composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.