Beethoven at 250: Apotheosis and Transcendence

Perhaps no composer in the western canon is more of a “household name” than Ludwig van Beethoven. A child prodigy, famed at the time for his improvisation skills at the keyboard, Beethoven would grow up to become one of the leading European composers in many genres, including piano sonatas, string quartets, symphonies, and more. Despite the name recognition attached to his legacy, many mysteries continue to spark the curiosity of neophytes and devotees alike. How can a deaf man compose music? What makes his music so “special”? What sort of person was the real historical Beethoven? During this program, Dr. Gil Harel will discuss one of Beethoven’s most celebrated works: Symphony No. 9. Using a balance of biographical investigation, score analysis, and reasonable conjecture, he will attempt to illuminate what it is about Beethoven that has cemented his status as a quasi-deity in the western world.