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Beethoven is one of Western classical music’s titans, looming over whole swathes of musical activity even up to the present day.

The set of pieces he produced in the last fifteen years of his life in particular have cast long shadows over subsequent generations of composers: complex, weird, but often startlingly beautiful, the late works are still some of the most challenging pieces for performers to execute and for audiences to hear even two centuries after they were written.

On this course taught by we will explore this repertoire from a non-musician’s perspective, diving into the different layers of understanding these pieces, from Beethoven’s own biography to the social and cultural contexts of Vienna around the early 1800s.

We will also see the ways in which the world began to make sense of these pieces, often ignoring them until long after Beethoven’s death.

The multifarious social, cultural, and political afterlives of these pieces form some of the key reasons that Beethoven remains so central to our musical thinking even in the present day.

Who is this course for?

This is an adult education course open to everyone. No previous experience is required.

The sessions are open and inclusive, with content designed to foster critical thinking, lively discussion, and enjoyment of a rich and diverse genre of musical performance.

Term dates

•  Spring Term: week beginning 11 January 2027 until week ending 19 March 2027

For course content enquiries: Contact the tutor, Dr Bruno Bower, at b.bower@imperial.ac.uk

For enrolment and booking enquiries: Contact Christian Jacobi at c.jacobi@imperial.ac.uk

Class recordings

These classes are not recorded.

911½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ certificates

This course has no exams or assessments, so you can focus on enjoying your learning. If you attend regularly, you may also receive an 911½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ attendance certificate. (T&Cs apply).