International Congress Beethoven Perspectives extremely successful

On the trail of the Beethoven phenomenon

The international congress 'Beethoven Perspectives' at the Beethoven-Haus provided a multifaceted picture of Beethoven and dispelled some myths.

For five days last week, around 80 academics from musicology and neighbouring disciplines explored the Beethoven phenomenon from different perspectives in lectures and discussions in the chamber music hall of the Beethoven-Haus. The congress, which was attended by 280 participants from 17 countries, was made possible by funding from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media. The media partner was Deutschlandfunk, which broadcast numerous reports on the congress and contributed its own supporting programme with talks and a discussion concert.

Among the biographical questions, the latest research on the young Beethoven's Bonn environment proved to be particularly fruitful, as it shed new light on the first two decades of his musical career. The papers on political, intercultural and transcultural issues also aroused great interest. Beethoven's own political stance was controversially discussed. As was made clear, this cannot be reduced to his supposed admiration of Napoleon Bonaparte. Rather, Beethoven behaved ambivalently towards very different political contexts, as evidenced by his personal closeness to members of the imperial family in Vienna. The image of a ‘global Beethoven’, which was discussed in the context of historical processes such as colonisation and migration, was also critically questioned. According to one of the conclusions, Beethoven's global impact shows a whole series of blank spots on the world map.

Questions of the interpretation of works, to which new aspects are constantly being added due to new sources and changing questions, were discussed, as was the still enigmatic process of composing in many respects. In addition to a main symposium, a separate roundtable of the ‘Beethoven's Workshop’ research project was dedicated to the latter, which also allowed a side view of three other composers. The contributions on the reception of Beethoven's works by other composers also provided an illuminating aspect in the discussion of Beethoven's oeuvre.

A series of accompanying events such as concerts and guided tours of the exhibitions currently on display in Bonn as part of the anniversary year rounded off the programme for the congress participants.

The organising team, which included Christine Siegert, Head of the Beethoven Archive, Christin Heitmann and Jürgen May, had already received consistently positive feedback during the congress. Overall, the congress proved to be an extraordinary success. The results should continue to have an impact beyond the duration of the event. Over the next few months, the presentations will be compiled in order to make them available to experts and the public in printed form.

Contact:
Ursula Timmer-Fontani
Head of Corporate Communications
Beethoven-Haus Bonn
timmer-fontani@beethoven.de
Phone +49 228 98175-16