Beethoven
Six talks with John Suchet
Don’t miss our fascinating Around Sound series of talks on Ludvig van Beethoven, presented by John Suchet and exclusive to Choir of the Earth!
In late 2021, we were honoured to be joined by the wonderful John Suchet OBE as a guest course director for a fantastic Around Sound series looking at the life and works of Ludwig van Beethoven.
Content
Each talk lasts for approximately an hour, followed by a brief Q&A with those who were present when it was recorded.
The talks were recorded as presented live on YouTube and cover the topics below:
1. Beethoven - The Bonn Years
The making of a revolutionary - and how he served as a teenage kitchen scullion.
2. Beethoven and Vienna
Successor to Mozart in Europe’s capital city of music - and coffee!
3. Beethoven’s Deafness
The single affliction that coloured every aspect of his life - and gave us the Late Quartets.
4. Beethoven’s Women
The many proposals of marriage - but who was his Immortal Beloved?
5. Beethoven - The Music
Only 9 symphonies, 5 piano concertos, one opera - but he broke the rules in every musical form.
6. Beethoven and his nephew Karl
The five year court case that stunted his creativity and broke his health - and it was all his doing!
How it works
When you order Around Sound Beethoven with John Suchet, you will be emailed the links to the talks.
The talks are hosted on YouTube but the links are not listed publicly and are only available to those who have purchased the series. You must not share the links with anyone.
Cost
The full series of six lectures costs only £25!
That’s a little over £4 per talk, prepared and delivered by one of the world’s foremost experts on Beethoven and renowned TV and radio presenter - excellent value by anyone’s estimation.
About Around Sound
Choir of the Earth's Around Sound series provides keen music-lovers with invaluable opportunities to delve into the important but often overlooked context of great choral works.
Delivered by engaging and experienced course directors, the series not only enriches your musical knowledge but also equips you with critical analytical skills, enabling you to engage with choral music at a profoundly deeper level.
Whether it's music history, music theory, choral skills or in-depth interviews with key figures in the contemporary choral world, Around Sound aims to develop your understanding and appreciation of the music you perform beyond the notes on the page.
About the Course Director
John Suchet OBE is best known as one of the country’s most popular radio and television reporters and newscasters.
As a reporter for ITN, he covered major events around the world, including the Iran Revolution, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and the Philippines Revolution. He then became a news anchor for ITN, presenting all major bulletins including News at Ten. John has been honoured in both roles. He was Television Reporter of the year in 1986, and Television Newscaster of the year in 1996. In 2008 the Royal Television Society accorded him its highest accolade, the Lifetime Achievement Award.
John Suchet OBE
In 2010, John joined Classic FM as a daily presenter. John has had a lifelong passion for classical music, in particular for the life and works of Beethoven. He has published seven books on the great composer, including a full length biography, “Beethoven — The Man Revealed”, published to acclaim in 2012. A special anniversary edition, with an added section on the music, was published in 2020, the 250th anniversary year of Beethoven’s birth.
John has published five composer biographies, including Beethoven. In September 2015 he published a biography of the Strauss family, “The Strauss Dynasty and Vienna”, which entered the Sunday Times bestseller list at no.8. In September 2016 he published a biography of Mozart, “Mozart — The Man Revealed”. His biography of Verdi, “Verdi — The Man Revealed”, was published in September 2017. And his account of Tchaikovsky’s life, “Tchaikovsky — The Man Revealed”, was published in September 2018.
He has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate by his old university, The University of Dundee, and Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Music for his work on Beethoven.
John stepped back from presenting every day on Classic FM in 2022 and now presents special programmes on the station.
Find out more about John on his website or follow him on X/Twitter.
