by Mona Seghatoleslami
This week, the Wheeling Symphony will be celebrating the music and life of the great Ludwig van Beethoven. There will be talks and concerts, and the Wheeling Symphony is opening up an afternoon rehearsal to audiences. The week of Beethoven celebrations culminates with a concert including Beethoven’s King Stephen Overture, the Triple Concerto (featuring the Pittsburgh Trio), and Symphony No. 7.
Back at the beginning of the season, music director Andre Raphel Smith told me about this concert and his approach to Beethoven. Smith shares his reasons for choosing these pieces, as well as explaining how different factors influence his interpretation.
Listen to Maestro Andre Raphel Smith on Beethoven and the upcoming concert
Schedule of events (more info on the Wheeling Symphony’s website)
Wednesday, January 14th:
* 7pm: Lecture/Concert “Beethoven the Heroic Period” (free)
Friday January 16th:
* 2-4:30pm: Open rehearsal (free)
* 7pm: Pre-concert talk (free)
* 8pm: Wheeling Symphony Concert, with the Pittsburgh Piano Trio
Not enough Beethoven for you? Here’s some further reading:
-Beethoven’s Letters online: volume 1 and volume 2
-The Beethoven-Haus Bonn (Beethoven's birthplace has been transformed into a museum, with archives and a concert hall, and their website has lots of resources).
-Maynard Solomon's biography of Beethoven