Middle Beethoven at 123: Appassionata

Who was Beethoven's “immortal beloved”? And how did a composer who never married express love, longing, and passion through his music? The Engegård Quartet opens the concert with the beautiful Harp Quartet, which gets its name from the harp-like tones that resonate between the instruments. Then, violist Nora Taksdal takes us into the mystery surrounding Beethoven's famous love letter to a woman whose identity is still debated. Baritone Halvor Melien and pianist Thormod Rønning Kvam perform the song cycle An die ferne Geliebte – To the Distant Beloved – where six songs create a cohesive narrative about love and longing. The evening concludes with Olli Mustonen in Appassionata, one of Beethoven's most dramatic piano sonatas. Here we encounter passion in its most intense form, with a fierce force driving the music toward an almost desperate conclusion. Program Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat major, Op. 74 – “Harp Quartet” Engegård Quartet Beethoven's immortal beloved Lecture by Nora Taksdal Intermission An die ferne Geliebte, Op. 98 Halvor Melien, baritone Thormod Rønning Kvam, piano Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 – “Appassionata” Olli Mustonen, piano Check out the entire festival at www.123festival.no With a Festival Pass, you can access the entire festival with 7 events over 3 days. With a Beethoven Trilogy Pass, you can access all three festivals, with 21 concerts.