Rob Kapilow’s What Makes It Great?: Beethoven’s Appassionata Sonata

In the first performance out of three this season, Rob Kapilow’s What Makes It Great? will focus on Beethoven’s riveting Appassionata.

Everyone’s favorite down-to-earth explainer of all types of music returns to Stanford Live for three performances. In the first part of each performance, Kapilow illustrates key points of the music and its creators. Then, the full piece is performed. To top off the experience, Kapilow and the musicians take part in a lively and in-depth Q&A with the audience. This season, dive into Beethoven’s riveting Appassionata piano sonata, issues around censorship and the songs of Cole Porter, and John Adams’ “Shaker Loops”—a study in minimalism.