For students to experience the pleasure of learning via an introduction to the man Beethoven, his music and its continued significance today. An integrative approach utilizing various vehicles of learning. (See Resources)

For students to gain a greater knowledge of history through the study of Beethoven’s times from the beginning of the eighteenth century Europe through the twentieth century (200 years after death) in Europe, Asia, Latin America

For students to gain a greater understanding of factors that influenced Beethoven’s works: economic need, societal values, interpersonal relationships, physical maladies.

For students to gain a greater awareness of effective communication via the integration of various art forms.

For students to explore values benefitting a more humane society.

For students to develop greater abstract cognition demonstrated by what has been learned throughout the course with application of its relevance to today’s society and future outlook.

Resources:

1. Films of The Beethoven Trilogy written, directed and produced by filmmaker and historian Kerry Candaele of Battle Hymn Productions.

*Following the Ninth: In the Footsteps of Beethoven’s Final Symphony (2014)

*Love & Justice: In the Footsteps of Beethoven’s Rebel Opera (2024)

*Last Will & Testament: In the Footsteps of Beethoven's Late String Quartets ( to be released late 2025)

2. Presentation of various pieces of Beethoven’s music.

3.Primary Sources, letters, diaries, recollections, and Beethoven's own short reflections.

* Frederick Schiller’s poem

*Heilegenstadt Testament

*Immortal Beloved Letter

* Beethoven letters: a selection

* Reflections from others on Beethoven the person and his surroundings, his work habits, his loves and dislikes, and his music

* Documents that tell us more about the period in which Beethoven lived.

4. Books: Biographies include Jan Swafford, Beethoven: Anguish and Triumph; William Kinderman, Beethoven: A Political Artist in Revolutionary Times; John Clubbe, Beethoven: The Relentless Revolutionary.

Evaluation:

1. Each student will be evaluated based on class participation in group discussions and interest shown in the materials presented.

2. Each student will be expected to keep a daily journal of thoughts, feelings and comments on what is viewed, heard, and read in class. (3-4 sentences).

3. As homework, periodic reading assignments will be given as preparation for class discussion.

Schedule:

WEEK ONE: Review classroom and evaluation expectations

Review goals

Present handout of Timeline with brief bio of LvB (early childhood, family, etc.)

Present ideas of Enlightenment Period

Present what was happening in Europe during LvBs formative years (French Revolution of 1789 through 1803)

Listen to some of Beethoven’s familiar works during the early, middle, and late periods of his life.

Assignment: Present one interesting fact to class learned from internet. Why did you chose this fact?

Review European societal values during Beethoven’s youth

Present Beethoven’s early years as a child

WEEKS TWO, THREE

1st LvB period 1770-1802

Enlightenment Period (1685-1815):

(Spanning Classical 1750-1820 and Romantic periods 1820-1910)

1770: LvB born in Bonn, Germany

1777: 1st performance

1789: (age 19) French Revolution : liberté, fraternité, égalité, what did these ideas mean at the time?

1794 (age 24): onset of deafness

1801: Moonlight Sonata

1802: (age 32) Heilegenstadt Testament

Assignment: Read Heilegenstadt Testament at home

Class discussion:

To whom was it written?

Why was it written?

What is the overall meaning of the Heilegenstadt Testament?

Highlight values, decisions exhibited in letter as we reread together and discuss

WEEKS FOUR, FIVE, SIX

2nd LvB period 1802-1816

Introduce revolutionary 3rd Symphony, the “Eroica “

Give background, characteristics. Discuss Beethoven’s connection to Napoleon.

Why was the “Eroica” so revolutionary, and what might that term mean when applied to music, then and now?

Introduce Fifth Symphony. Why is it considered a monumental musical achievement?

Fidelio : discuss the title’s meaning , the storyline, its characters, and explore why LvB would create this plot( twice revised with final version in 1814)

Assignment: Listen to key arias of Fidelio

Discuss LvB’s love interests, feelings about love, and justice.

Discuss ways love is manifested, risk, sacrifice for another

Discuss Imprisonment ( physical and emotional, self-imprisonment)

Present Chile in 1970’s: Pinochet’s dictatorship, Caravan of Death

Show the film Love & Justice: In The Footsteps of Beethoven’s Rebel Opera.

Discuss Butoh and its characteristics

Who was Jorge Peña Hen?

Why does his granddaughter perform Butoh? What information does she present to the world about her art, her family, the situation in Chile in 1973?

Discuss how various art forms send communicative messages.

How did Beethoven communicate with others, with what rhetorical devices in his music?

Assignment: Write a review of the film Love & Justice, as if you were writing for a newspaper.

Listen to parts of Pastoral Symphony

The Emperor Concerto

Fur Elise Piano Sonata

Assignment: read Immortal Beloved letter

Discuss Immortal Beloved in class.

WEEKS SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE

3rd LvB period 1816-1827

Assignment: Read Schiller’s Poem Ode to Joy

Listen to The Ninth Symphony.

Discuss adaptation of Ode to Joy from Schiller’s poem.

What values did LvB share with Schiller and Goethe?

Discuss Beethoven’s profound deafness.

Watch the film Following The Ninth: In The Footsteps of Beethoven’s Final Symphony

Discuss Ode to Joy’s impact on history

Watch Kerry Candaele’s TedX talk

Watch the film Last Will & Testament: In The Footsteps of Beethoven’s Late Quartets, and discuss one of the late quartets.

Discuss how LvB’s music has the power to be beneficial in today’s society.

Show clips of the use of Beethoven’s music in prisons. Even when incarcerated, what effect can his music have on inmates?

Other examples of how to utilize B’s music to benefit society?

Discuss LvB’s personality and how it might have shaped his music.

Read a selection of Beethoven’s letters, and discuss his relationships with other people. Do great artists deserve different treatment than others when it comes to what they can say or do with their art?

WEEK TEN

Exams or project-based assessments may be used with students. Creating one’s own music based on a Beethoven piece might work as a project, or presenting a self-created video of something you found interesting about Beethoven’s life or work.

Exam questions and/or project-based assessments according to each instructors’