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Exploring Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas

Our relationship to Beethoven is a deep and paradoxical one. For many musicians, he represents a kind of holy grail: His music has an intensity, rigor, and profundity which keep us in its thrall, and it is perhaps unequalled in the interpretive, technical, and even spiritual challenges it poses to performers. At the same time, Beethoven’s music is casually familiar to millions of people who do not attend concerts or consider themselves musically inclined. Two hundred years after his death, he is everywhere in the culture, yet still represents its summit. This course takes an inside-out look at the 32 piano sonatas from the point of view of a performer. Each lecture will focus on one sonata and an aspect of Beethoven’s music exemplified by it. (These might include: the relationship between Beethoven the pianist and Beethoven the composer; the critical role improvisation plays in his highly structured music; his mixing of extremely refined music with rougher elements; and the often surprising ways in which the events of his life influenced his compositional process and the character of the music he was writing.) The course will feature some analysis and historical background, but its perspective is that of a player, not a musicologist. Its main aim is to explore and demystify the work of the performer, even while embracing the eternal mystery of Beethoven’s music itself. This season's Curtis courses are sponsored by Linda Richardson in loving memory of her husband, Dr. Paul Richardson. The Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation supports Curtis's lifelong learning initiatives.

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Rating 4.9★ based on 123 ratings
Length 13 weeks
Effort 8 hours videos and quizzes
Starts Jul 10 (42 weeks ago)
Cost $49
From Curtis Institute of Music via Coursera
Instructor Jonathan Biss
Download Videos On all desktop and mobile devices
Language English
Subjects Art & Design Humanities
Tags Arts And Humanities Music And Art

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What people are saying

classical music

Anyone even remotely interested in piano music, or Beethoven, or classical music, or really any music, MUST take this course.

It is a beautiful course for the fans of classical music and specially for the fans of Beethoven!

I am a musician moving from the rock and jazz genres into classical music and have been taking a number of classical/opera related courses.

great In discussing modulation in classical music, one of my classmates said that Beethoven's piano sonatas are bizarre in their styles compared with those Romantic composers like Liszt and Chopin.

Very enjoyable if you are a classical music lover.

You will see classical music completely different.

A fascinating course for any classical musician, or keen listener of classical music.

I'm not a musician and have little knowledge of classical music, but I figured that an on-line course would be a great way to gain some understanding of this type of music.

Very good demonstration and analyse on Beethoven sonata and raise your interest in further exploring classical music A must-take for all classical music lovers.

Great for every classical music lovers but especially pianists and Beethoven fans.

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mr. biss

Mr. Biss is an excellent teacher.

Mr. Biss clearly has a passion for the music which comes through in his teaching , Incredible class.

Thanks Mr. Biss.

Thank you, Mr. Biss and Curtis Institu Extremelly interesting!

Mr. Biss made the course both enjoyable and educational.

And the way Mr. Biss emphasizes and explained the passages, this is just extraordinary.

amazing Very insightful and inspiring I rediscover the beauty of Beethoven's piano sonatas through Mr. Biss clear, interesting and engaging lectures.

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highly recommend

Highly recommend organized, insightful.

Highly recommendable.

I Highly recommend it to anyone like me struggling to find meaning in musical harmony in general.

Highly recommended for all musicians and music-lovers.

Highly recommended.

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recommend this course

I would recommend this course to everyone.

Would highly recommend this course to anyone who appreciates this kind of music; particularly those seeking to understand Beethoven's idiom better.

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understanding of beethoven

This course and the other two with Johnathan Biss have greatly expanded my appreciation and understanding of Beethoven's sonatas Excellent lectures by excellent professor I signed up for this because I took a longer class on classical music and loved Beethoven week.

Jonathan Biss presented a brilliant and in-depth understanding of Beethoven's Sonatas.

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so much

I've been playing piano for 27 years, and I am learning so much from this course!

Learned so much.

Thanks so much to Mr. Biss and Coursera.

Thank you so much for sharing all this wonderful insight into Beethoven's works.

Thank you so much for this insight, Jonathan Biss - it is invaluable.

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but also

This was an enjoyable course taught by someone who is obviously not only a superb pianist and musician but also completely in love with Beethoven's piano music.

Jonathan Biss is not only one of the great players of our time, but also manages to simplify and deliver outstanding quality content for learners in any theroetical I really like the passion and the way Jonathan talks about the work of Beethoven.

mr biss

As Mr Biss appeared equally enthusiastic about the music of Haydn, perhaps we might look forward to 'Exploring Haydn's Piano Sonatas' in the future?

It's an introduction and exploration of the adventurous world of music and musicians; passionately delivered by the expert, Mr Biss.

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musical terminology

It was presented with great knowledge and passion, and despite being full of musical terminology and detail, it was always accessible to me as a non-player.

For true Beethoven lovers and others as well I am learning a interesting things about the sonatas I love, even though some musical terminology is above my head.

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beethoven 's piano sonatas

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Rating 4.9★ based on 123 ratings
Length 13 weeks
Effort 8 hours videos and quizzes
Starts Jul 10 (42 weeks ago)
Cost $49
From Curtis Institute of Music via Coursera
Instructor Jonathan Biss
Download Videos On all desktop and mobile devices
Language English
Subjects Art & Design Humanities
Tags Arts And Humanities Music And Art

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