Keiko Shichijo

Pianiste Keiko Shichijo focuses on a special period in Beethoven's life: the year 1802. In the autumn of 1802, during a stay in the spa town of Heiligenstadt, Beethoven wrote a deeply personal letter to his brothers, later known as the Heiligenstadt Testament. In it, he expressed his despair over his increasing deafness for the first time openly. He describes the loneliness and inner struggle he experienced, how he thought about suicide, but decided to continue because of his art. The document forms a powerful testimony to Beethoven's suffering and his determination as an artist. At the same time, he let his friend Wenzel Krumpholz know that he was dissatisfied with his earlier compositions. He announced that he wanted to take a new path. That artistic turnaround was quickly felt: shortly thereafter, the three sonatas op. 31 (including the well-known Tempest sonata) and the Eroica variations op. 35 were created. These works mark a clearly innovative style, partly due to their formal experiments and unexpected variation techniques. The program Beethoven 1802 offers a fascinating look at a crucial moment in Beethoven's musical turnaround. 2027 is dedicated to Ludwig van Beethoven. On the occasion of his 200th anniversary of death, CC Maasmechelen presents a diverse program, which is an ode to the genius of the composer.