About the sonatas

Often referred to as ‘The New Testament of Music’ (as opposed to ‘The Old Testament’ of Bach’s ‘48 Preludes and Fugues’) Beethoven’s 32 Piano Sonatas are a cornerstone of the keyboard repertoire.  However, although Beethoven never planned the sonatas as a group, they none-the-less make a satisfying whole and were written more or less evenly over the greater part of his working career (1795-1822).

Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas also reflect many important aspects of his compositional development, his skills as an outstanding pianist and improviser, as well as details of his personal and private life.  Without slavishly scrutinising every one of the sonatas, Peter Medhurst discusses – and Jeremy Limb performs – selections and highlights of the repertoire to give the listener a rare chance to find out what the sonatas are all about.

The two study days are designed for the enthusiastic listener rather than the hardened scholar, and an ability to read music is not required.

Study day details

The study days are being generously hosted by Mr George Meyer at his house in Highgate (see Venue, below).

Morning coffee, sandwich lunch with wine, and afternoon tea are included in the price.

The day begins at 10.30 with coffee, and continues with seminars from 11 am until lunch at 1 pm.  We resume at 2.15 and the day finishes with afternoon tea, at approximately 4.30 pm.

How to book

The Beethoven Sonatas Study Days cost £60 per day and include seminars with live performances, morning coffee, sandwich lunch and afternoon tea.

Please fill in the following application form and post to ‘Beethoven Piano Sonatas’, 58 Harold Road, London SE19 3SW (remember, that the study days take place at 8 Highgate Close, London N6 4SD).  Details of how to pay for the day(s) are on the booking form.

If you would like to check availability or have more information about the day(s), then please telephone Peter on 07939 103131 or email him at pm@ruddigore.plus.com

Manuscript of the 3rd movement of Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight Sonata’

Biographies

Peter Medhurst – tutor

Peter Medhurst’s work as a lecturer has taken him all over the world, and in the last few years he has toured New Zealand, Australia (twice) and South Africa (four times), and has presented lectures in museums and art galleries right across Europe. He lectures for the University of Kent, The Art Fund, and The Arts Society and has discussed his musical ideas on BBC Radio 3, Radio 4 and Classic FM.  Peter did his training at the Royal College of Music and at the Mozarteum in Salzburg.

Jeremy Limb – piano

Jeremy read music at Queen’s College, Oxford, then studied the piano at the Royal College of Music.  In 1997 he won 1st Prize in the 18th Brant National Piano Competition.  Jeremy works freelance as a soloist, accompanist, and repetiteur (including work for English National Opera) and is a recording artist with Naxos.  He has broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and given numerous recitals around the country and abroad.   Jeremy is the great grandson of Sir Arnold Bax.

Peter and Jeremy

Peter and Jeremy have worked much together over the years, presenting study days on Bach’s Goldberg Variations, Schubert’s Piano Sonatas, Chopin’s Piano Music, Debussy’s Piano Music and Handel’s Messiah.  They appear at the English festivals and music societies and in the first half of 2018 they will be giving concerts of Beethoven’s music in Vienna, and Weber’s and Schumann’s music in Dresden.