Beethoven in his Time

31/05/2022

The registration phase for our Beethoven Competition in Historical Performance Practice ended recently. Unfortunately, the number of ensembles did not develop as we had hoped. All the effort and preparation are nothing if the main thing is lacking. Therefore, it is with a heavy heart that we have decided to cancel the competition "Beethoven in his time" for 2022.

We are very sorry for our partners and the musicians who had already put a lot of effort and creativity into the preparation. We are still convinced that there is a real need for an international chamber music competition in historical performance practice for the Beethoven period. At the moment we are not yet able to say whether and how this goal will be furthered.

We hope that you will join us again on the path of old music - should a new competition be possible.

06/05/2022

Our partner has just unveiled its completely revamped website and programme for the upcoming festival. We are very happy to be part of it!

Save the date: Programmvorstellung und Vorverkauf für die neue Saison starten am 28. April 2022! ✌️

02/05/2022

REGISTRATION ends next SUNDAY, 8TH MAY 2022
⏰⏰⏰
The chamber music competition BEETHOVEN IN HIS TIME is open to Violin, Violoncello and Fortepiano. Cash prizes of more than €30.000 are awarded.
https://beethoven.siegburg.de/participation/index.html

24/02/2022

18/02/2022

What is so exciting about historical performance? Discovering new things all the time, of course!

Does anyone know the composer Johann Peter PIXIS? Not did we - and not even our jury. But last time Trio Immensae discovered him and everyone was thrilled!

Thanks to Trio Immensae with Ruiqi Ren, Madeleine Bouïssou, Mimoe Todo 🥰

15/02/2022

BEETHOVEN IN HIS TIME IS BACK!!

Let's dive deep into the work of Ludwig van Beethoven and his Viennese and Bonn contemporaries. Strings and fortepiano (duo / trio) are welcome. A top-class international jury awards prizes of € 30,000.

The competition will take place during the Beethovenfest Bonn and the Freiburger Barockorchester has taken over the patronage.

14/06/2021

The competition winner TRIO EGMONT live in Siegburg.
We are very much looking forward to meeting them finally f2f!

9.9.2021, 20h: https://www.beethovenfest.de/de/programm/gesamtprogramm/junge-musiker-alte-instrumente/

01/06/2021

And the 2nd prizes goes to...TRIO ALTERNA

It almost feels a bit nostalgic, although only 2 days have passed since the decision. And what a decision it was! It was so close that the jury decided not to reward a third prize. Instead, they awarded Alterna Trio with the same amount of prize money as the 1st prize.

Take a close ear and you understand why:
round 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbTabu8pepk
round 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYg1lrz4pjI
round 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8jAnr8JCWU

30/05/2021

And the 1st prize goes to...TRIO EGMONT.

And here are the reasons why:
round 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0YVeLbOyQk
round 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VotG7BhP47s&t=5s
round 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHDuFIPDPP8&t=97s

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

29/05/2021

Let's put the 5 finalists into spotlight!

Have a glimpse on who is competing for the win.
Tomorrow, Sunday 30th, the award winners are announced in a ZOOM-event at 4 pm (MESZ).

The event is open to everyone:
https://zoom.us/j/99473302709?pwd=YUxSa284eEJNU3g0WFpEc1V2NjNqZz09

And don't forget - the audience award is still yet to be decided by you - like your favourite on YouTube.

29/05/2021

++ Final Round has started ++

Round 2 has brought wonderful contributions and our 7 jurors had the hard task to pick the best ones for the final round.

5 Essembles are still on their way to win the first competition of its kind. Watch and find out who! (Link in the comments)

On Sunday you can join the award ceremony via Micorosot Teams at 4pm (MESZ)!
More information will follow!

27/05/2021

++ Round 2 has started! ++

We really enjoyed every video of the 1st round. Thank you so much for all the great music on historic instruments!
However - since we have a contest - our judges had to pick the best 10 acts to qualify for round 2.

- Who will reach the grand final?! -

Find out and watch round 2 on our Youtube Channel today! (Link in the comments)

Here we go! :)

25/05/2021

++ We proudly present Round 1 of our historic chamber music competition ++

And You have the chance to be part of it. Our jurors vote on who to send to the next round, and You vote, who will win the Audience Award.

Visit our Youtube Channel, listen to all performances and like your favorites.

👉https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKPibNdGFO6zY9KHbk9_hVA/videos 👈

23/05/2021

We are already enjoying the performances of 1st round ;)

That´s why we asked our participants what made it special to perform music on historic instruments. We recieved a lot of interesting answers and we think this quote sums up pretty much what our musicians told us about it.

The Duo "El Parnasillo" is one of 14 awesome groups performing in our competition. You can watch all performances of 1st round on Tuesday, May 25th on our Youtube Channel! (Link in the comments)

20/05/2021

++ The final countdown ++

Today it´s Round-1-deadline for our participants to submit their performances on historic instruments. We are very excited to enjoy them already ;)
For You these will be live on YouTube on Tuesday.
There is an audience award -> the performance with most likes on YouTube wins. 🏆

Visit: https://beethoven.siegburg.de

14/05/2021

Dear entrants, a brief hint especially for the fortepiano players:
Of course, it would be preferable to use original editions. However, due to the special circumstances, copies may be used to make the turning of the pages a bit easier. Complete editions may not be copied.

11/05/2021

++ 2 weeks remaining for our contestants to deliver ++

Time to learn more about our jurors - the BIG SEVEN. Click on the photos to find out more 🕵️‍♀️

04/05/2021

++ Bypassing the Cancel Culture ++
As we expect the Corona-Pandemic to be still overwhelmingly present we decided to reorganise our competition in a full digital form. The entrants submit videos of their performances, evaluated by our 7 jurors.
You will have free access to all videos on beethoven.siegburg.de.

11/01/2021

We just reviewed the applications we received today. 🤩
There are 35 ensembles with 76 participants (16 Duo Violin | 13 Duo Cello | 6 Trio). A colorful mix in every aspect...many very creative programs - we are very happy. It will be great fun listening to you!
Now its up to the Artistic Advisory Board 🥶
Good luck to everyone!!

11/12/2020

This is us.

Next week we talk about even more people.
So stay tuned and have a splendid weekend.

08/12/2020

A turbulent year is coming to its end. We hope that all of you are well and stay safe! All in all our anticipation is steadily growing and we are becoming more and more excited (Registration closes on January 10th 😲 )

We are determined to carry out our competition at the end of May. Of course, there are uncertainties, but we will try everything to make it happen. Fortunately, the latest developments are encouraging. Nevertheless, we did some adaptions in the conditions of participation (article 4 at Conduct of the competition) due to the current situation. And we will make public our hygiene concept in good time before the competition.

All the best
Andrea, Christian, Philipp

16/07/2020

A small hint for all who would like to pick Schubert's Arpeggione Sonata for their free-to-choose-repertoire. You are allowed to play the piece on an arpeggione - also called guitare d'amour or guitar violoncello.
We are happy if you would like to make your performance even more 'original'. But of course all cello players have no disadvantage 😉
Good rehearsals to all of you!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do9UgdfwM5Q&t=11m32s

Nicolas Deletaille, arpeggione Alain Roudier, fortepiano Schubert: Sonata for arpeggione and fortepiano in a minor D821 (original version : played on arpeggi...

15/06/2020

Daily Routine – Ludwig van Beethoven
(start at 3min 32sec)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kns30P9m9Pg&t=3m32s

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03/06/2020

We are very happy that the meeting of the artistic advisory board has now been set – luckily very short after the application deadline.

So two weeks more for rehearsals 🥵, practising the perfect bow 🥰, pondering a breathtaking dress style 🤩 and many more jittery dreams of this one incredible but unplayable piece 🥶

We are planning to send you the results on 18th January 2021.

© John Stump - Composer

05/05/2020

COMPETITION POSTPONED 🤧
to 25th - 30th May 2021

👉NEW SCHEDULE👈
Registration deadline: 10th January 2021
Changing pieces: 31th March 2021
Competition: 25th - 30th May 2021

Every participant deserves fair and equal conditions. We know that the current uncertainty is a burden for your preparation. That is why we decided to postpone the competition.
Take care and be safe!

for more info please visit beethoven.siegburg.de

16/04/2020

BRIEF NOTE ABOUT THE COVID19-SITUATION

We are aware that many higher education institutions in Europe and the USA are closed and will probably remain closed for some time. Options for rehearsals especially with the hammer piano are limited for many.

Every participant deserves fair and equal conditions. We know that the current uncertainty is a burden for your preparation. Therefore we are in contact with our partnerns to come up with a good solution. The decision will be made in late April / early May.

Take care and be safe!

ID #: 23312
Photo Credit: Alissa Eckert, MS, Dan Higgins, M**S

12/04/2020

HAPPY EASTER

02/04/2020

Felt a slight chill on my way to the office.

30/03/2020

BONNER WUNDERKINDER: Beethoven, Reicha and the two Rombergs

Ludwig van Beethoven spent the first twenty-one years of his life in Bonn and, thanks to his father, became a member of the Bonner Hofkapelle ... a real stroke of luck. Its repertoire should have a lasting impact on his musical development.

The music-crazy emperor-elector Maximilian Franz radically rebuilt the old, time-honoured ensemble and made it to one of the best of his time. Among the young top musicians were the star virtuosos Bernhard and Andreas Romberg as well as Ludwig van Beethoven and Anton Reicha. These four "wunderkinder" developed in this musical avant-garde, played the latest and most demanding music. Andreas Romberg and Beethoven even had the rare opportunity to have their own compositions performed.

Foto: Eckhard Henkel
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2007-02-17_Carnival_ball_at_Redoute_(Bonn).JPG
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/de/deed.de

26/03/2020

Why and for what reason….. did a composer write it that way and not in another? Those who know the context in which a piece developed can sparkle in particularly refined timbres. 👩‍🎤🤸‍♀️🧘‍♀️ The musical athletes of the new competition BEETHOVEN IN HIS TIME should do just that.
When the Freiburger Barockorchester heard what kind of competition we were planning to do, they agreed to support it without hesitation. Your patronage is a real honour and a great motivation boost.
Thanks FBO !! 😘

24/03/2020

Do you know where the 🎹 working 🎹 tools 🎹 for the pianists among you comes from?

We are super happy 🤩 to have two absolute specialists in the field of fortepianos as partners. Both workshops - the Clavierwerkstatt Christoph Kern from Freiburg and J.C. Neupert near Bamberg - manufacture extremely high-quality fortepianos by themselves. So they are really familiar even with tiny aspects around the instruments.

We are sure that we can offer you wonderful playing conditions. Stay tuned for more infos on the specific competition pianos in the future.

18/03/2020

Back is the new future👨‍🔬🏎🕍: The historically informed performance practice began around the baroque music and as a contrast to ensembles of traditional character. We are convinced that playing Viennese classic on modern instruments is increasingly seen as outdated.

The use of harpsichord and old string instruments is nowadays a matter of course. And fortepianos are seen more and more often, too. Early music studies are spreading - but what is lacking are competitions. An international competition on historical instruments for the time of the Viennese classic is a real gap in the market.

And what could be more fitting than starting a Beethoven competition in the Beethoven region in the Beethoven year?

13/03/2020

To bring you something other than Corona ... look forward to get the chance to compete in the building where Engelbert Humerdinck was born - you know, the one with the famous fairytale opera 👫 🍪 🤶