Daniel Barenboim conducts on Beethoven s anniversary
The goalpost of the Beethoven anniversary year? No, it s only in the middle of a now two-year bash, with major events still to come.
Strict regulations and a strict conductor: The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra rehearses in the Bonn Opera under Daniel Barenboim
The Beethoven Night on December 16 and the formal ceremony and anniversary concert with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra led by Daniel Barenboim the following evening were supposed to be the final climax in Bonn s year-long celebration of the composer, 250 years after his birth. Now they stand at the center of the anniversary year calendar, extended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The contemporary relevance of Ludwig van Beethoven on the 250th anniversary of his birth
Millions of people around the world continue to enjoy and enthuse over the work of Ludwig van Beethoven on the 250th anniversary of his birth, December 17, 1770. His music long ago broke through the narrow limits of European culture within which he lived and worked. It has emerged as a universal voice of humanity and has struck a chord among the younger generation thanks to the efforts of dedicated musicians.
Beethoven, portrait by Joseph Karl Stieler, 1820
What explains the contemporary character of Beethoven’s music? Why does it fascinate people of all ages, far beyond the confines of the classical music community?