Zooming with the Masters

Join us to learn about significant aspects of music theory and music history. Our theme is how music overcomes adversity.

Support this Program

Seattle Peace Chorus
Zooming with the Masters
(suggested donation $10):

Coming up

Recordings of previous sessions

15 November 2020: Gretchen Yanover: Creating Beauty in a Changing World

We are pleased to present the original music of cellist Gretchen Yanover. Gretchen is a musician’s musician, a standing member of the Northwest Sinfonietta, one of our region’s premier chamber orchestras. She has mastered classical repertoire and has been cultivating her compositional talents with great originality. She has made music her life’s work and in normal times could often be heard at the airport playing her pieces as people waited to go through security lines. She could be heard at the Pink Door and so many other venues. She has been featured with a wide variety of Northwest ensembles.

Listen, watch, buy a CD, or drop something into Gretchen’s tip jar, gretchenyanover.com.

6 December 2020: Stephen Ernst: Reversing Global Warming—an Introduction to the Drawdown Project

Concerned about global warming? When you hear once again the admonition to change your lightbulbs and turn your thermostat down, do you know in your gut that those are not a meaningful response to our climate crisis? Join us at Zoom with the Masters on Dec. 6th to explore meaningful, practical, ways to reverse global warming (yes, you read correctly, not just slowing global warming down, but reversing it) and see if there’s a way that fits with your time and talents.

Ask us for an invitation to our Zoom session at 7 pm on Sunday 6 December.
— Photo by Bill Oxford on Unsplash

Wednesday, 16 December 2020: Beethoven’s 250th birthday

Seattle Peace Chorus presents an evening with Dr. Charles Hiestand and our director Frederick West. Charles will talk about the masterworks of Beethoven and play the “Tempest” piano sonata. Frederick West will speak about the Ninth Symphony.
Ask us for an invitation to our Zoom session at 7 pm on Wednesday 16 December.


Photo by Jean Mishler

Sunday, 10 January 2021: Dee Knapp on conflict resolution

Dee Knapp will talk about conflict resolution as it relates to our divided electorate.
Ask us for an invitation to our Zoom session with Dee Knapp at 7 pm on Sunday 10 January 2021.

8 November 2020: Robert Crosby

Robert Crosby talked about Kurt Lewin and social psychology, and about bringing people together

18 October 2020: Donald King on the Nehemiah project

Seattle Peace Chorus presents an evening with the distinguished African-American architect Donald King, who will talk about the Nehemiah project, which is helping traditional Black churches to reap the benefits of increased land values in their neighborhoods rather than to be lost in the development scramble for gentrification. Learn how you can help support this dynamic project for the benefit of Black fiscal equity in Seattle.

Support the work of Donald King and the Nehemiah project (suggested donation $10):

You may also send checks earmarked for the “Nehemiah Project,” c/o Goodwill Missionary Baptist Church, 126 15th Ave., Seattle, WA 98122.

12 July 2020: Urban Gospel: 400 Years of Musical Survival for African-Americans, with Yvonne Brandon

7 pm, 12 July 2020, Yvonne Brandon gave us an overview of gospel music, how African-Americans singers have overcome adversity.

Support the music program at St. Therese Church (suggested donation $10):

5 July 2020: Robert Crosby, a sage teacher, interviewed by Fred West

Fred West will interview Robert Crosby, who has a lifetime of experience in social change and singing.

Bob Crosby just celebrated his 92nd birthday. He is a first tenor who is very familiar with barbershop, spirituals, folk traditions, and Italian opera. Bob used to live near the Pike’s Place Market and would regularly sing with the African-American ensemble A Moment in Time.

Robert studied for many years with the founder of Social Psychology Kurt Lewin, who he cites as a major influence in his life. As a young man Bob had the honor of being in classes with Howard Thurman, who later taught Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Howard Thurman is often quoted, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

You may be interested in Chris Crosby’s collection of videos that include Robert Crosby on vimeo: vimeo.com/showcase/4635902.

You can find books by Robert P. Crosby on Amazon. We recommend Memoirs of a Change Agent: T-groups, Organization Development, and Social Justice.

28 June 2020: Native American Women: Overcoming adversity through music, with Sondra Segundo

7 pm, 28 June 2020, Haida artist and singer Sondra Segundo will give us an overview of how Native American women are overcoming adversity through music.

Support Sondra Segundo (suggested donation $10):

Other resources on the internet for you to enjoy Sondra Segundo:

19 June 2020: Eddie Rye Jr on Juneteenth: Understanding & Action in these Rapidly Changing Times: Opening Hearts & Minds

7 pm, Friday 19 June 2020, on Juneteenth, Fred West and Kent Stevenson will talk with Eddie Rye Jr, highly respected African-American activist, community organizer, broadcaster and recipient of the MLK Medal of Distinguished Service. We’ll listen, talk and exchange ideas about our evolving social and political landscape.

For information about the work of Eddie Rye Jr, see Eddie Rye, Jr.: Unapologetic For His Efforts To Bring About Social Change.

31 May 2020: Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, with Dr. Charles Hiestand

7 pm, 31 May 2020, Dr. Charlie Hiestand took us on a harmonic tour of Beethoven’s extraordinary “Seventh Symphony.”

Support Charles Hiestand (suggested donation $10):

22 May 2020: Gretchen Yanover

Gretchen Yanover on electric cello, performs her “loop constructed” second movement from Beethoven’s 7th symphony, Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” Bach’s prelude to “Cello Suite No. 1,” and her own compositions “Resoluto,” “Willow Waltzes On,” “Suddenly I Felt Joy,” and “Heart and Sky.”

Support Gretchen Yanover (suggested donation $10):

Listen, watch, buy a CD, or drop something into Gretchen’s tip jar, gretchenyanover.com.

17 May 2020: Elizabeth Douthitt Sharp

Liz presents an overview – Women in Jazz: Overcoming Adversity.

Title Description Actions
WomenInJazz-YouTubePlaylist.pdf Women in Jazz: YouTube playlist View
Download
WomenInJazz-resources.pdf Women in Jazz: Resources View
Download

(The hyperlinks in these PDFs work if you download them; they don’t work if you only view them.)

26 April 2020: Matthew Weiss & Thomas Bell

Matthew Weiss on violin, with Thomas Bell on piano, performing Beethoven’s “Romance in F Major” for violin and orchestra (Thomas Bell on the Steinway orchestra).

Support Matt and Thomas (suggested donation $10):

Follow Matt Weiss at Pranakasha Productions, www.Pranakasha.com.

17 April 2020: Thomas Bell

Thomas Bell describes the structures of Beethoven’s piano sonatas and plays selections to illustrate these.

Support Thomas Bell (suggested donation $10):

Beethoven Piano Sonatas

by Thomas Bell

Sonata Form

The terminology was apparently adopted after Beethoven’s time.

  • Exposition (First Part)
    • First Theme (tonic)
    • Second Theme (dominant OR relative minor/major)
  • Development (Durchführung - “Working Out”). Improvisatory in nature, working through several keys
  • Recapitulation (Da Capo) often with Coda which embellished primary theme Both themes in tonic, some additional development or variation

Other Forms Used in a Sonata

  • ABA Song Form (often in second movement with a slow tempo)
  • Minuet/Scherzo (often in third movement if Sonata has four movements)
    • Minuet/Scherzo - ABA(A)
    • Trio - CDC
    • Minuet/Scherzo - ABA
  • Theme & Variations
  • Rondo (often for last movement) - characterized by a primary theme which returns between secondary themes - ABACADA etc.
  • Sonata Rondo - hybrid

Historical Information

  • Early Period: Follows models of Haydn & Mozart
    • Op. 13 (“Pathetique”) a breakthrough, establishes autonomy as a composer
  • Mature: Sonata and all other forms frame a more personal expression. Includes:
    • “Moonlight,” op. 27 no. 2
    • “Tempest,” op. 31 no. 2
    • “Waldstein,” op. 53 (expands form, brilliant and uplifting)
    • “Appassionata,” op. 57 (deeply personal, intense, considered tragic by writers)
    • Also “Fidelio,” Piano Concerti nos. 3, 4 and 5.
  • Late: Increasingly inward-looking, exquisite, learned, very profound. At this time he is totally deaf. Require great artistic maturity and insight. Unparalleled achievements. Some works have only two movements.

Op. 7 in E-flat

  • Movement I (Allegro molto e con brio). Follows standard key relationship of:
    • First Theme in Tonic (E-flat)
    • Second Theme in Dominant (B-flat)
    • Development
    • Recap with Second Theme in Tonic
    • Coda
  • Movement II in C (Largo, con gran espressione)
    • First Theme in C, standard 8 mm.
    • Second Theme in G, 6 mm.
    • First Theme returns altered in third bar
    • Third Theme in A-flat
    • Reprise
    • Coda - Third Theme returns on C
  • Movement III in E-flat (Allegro). Menuetto
    • Standard tonic-dominant relationships, with some development
    • Trio in parallel minor
  • Movement IV in E-flat (Poco Allegretto e grazioso). Rondo
    • ABACABA with Developmental Coda
    • C Theme in C minor

Op. 10 no. 3 in D

  • Movement I (Presto)
    • First Theme in Tonic
    • Second Theme in Relative Minor (B)
    • Third Theme in Dominant (A), followed by variant of first theme
    • Development - States theme in B-flat, moves through G minor, E-flat, A
    • Recap with Second Theme in E minor (relative minor of Dominant), Third Theme in Tonic
  • Movement II in D minor (Largo e mesto) - ABA Song Form with Coda
  • Movement III in D (Allegro). Menuetto
    • A Theme in Tonic
    • B Theme in Relative Minor (B minor)
    • Trio begins in Subdominant (G), moves to Dominant (A)
  • Movement IV in D (Allegro). Rondo. ABACA with Coda.
    • A Theme on Tonic
    • B Theme on Dominant
    • C Theme on Flat Submediant (B-flat)

Op. 13 (Grande Sonate Pathetique) in C minor

  • Introduction.
    • First Theme in C minor
    • Second Theme in E-flat
    • Intro Theme returns following Exposition
    • Development cycles through E minor, D major, G minor, F major, F minor, finally to an extended Dominant 7th
    • Recap with Second Theme in Tonic
  • Movement II in A-flat (Adagio cantabile) - ABA Song Form with Codetta
    • Second Theme in Parallel Minor (A-flat minor), cycles through E
  • Movement III in C minor. (Allegro) Rondo - ABACABA with Coda
    • B Theme in Relative Major (E-flat)
    • C Theme in Submediant (A-flat)

Op. 28 in D

  • Movement I in D. (Allegro)
    • Large second section begins in C#, resolves to F# minor, moves to A (dominant). Three distinct motives in this section.
    • Development begins with primary theme in C
    • Additional development in Recap, with second theme in F#, resolves to B minor before returning to tonic.
  • Movement II in D minor. (Andante)
    • ABA Song Form with B section in D major (Parallel Major).
    • Reprise elaborates primary theme.
  • Movement III in D. (Allegro vivace). Scherzo
    • Trio in B minor (Relative Minor)
  • Movement IV in D. (Allegro, ma non troppo). Rondo
    • ABACABA
    • B Theme in A Major (dominant)
    • C Theme begins in G Major, modulates in developmental manner
    • Return of B Theme in tonic
    • Coda

Op. 53 in C (“Waldstein”)

  • Movement I (Allegro con brio)
    • Second Section in E
    • Development: beings in F, cycles through C minor, G minor, C minor, F minor, C- flat, A-flat, back to C, F, B-flat, E-flat minor, F#, B, G (extended)
    • Recap - Second Theme returns in A, before moving to C
  • Introduzione (Adagio molto) in F - Replaced original second movement
  • Finale (Allegretto moderato). Rondo. ABACA
    • B Theme in A minor
    • C Theme in C minor
    • A returns on A-flat
    • “Developmental” section - cycles through keys then an extended dominant section
    • Extended Coda

Op. 57 in F minor (“Appassionata”)

  • Movement I (Allegro assai)
    • Second Theme in Relative Major (A-flat) with A-flat minor lead-in
    • Third Theme returns to A-flat minor (cycles through keys you will “never” see - F- flat and C-flat)
    • “Cadence” Theme leads to
    • Development: cycles through E, E minor, C minor, A-flat, D-flat, B-flat minor, G-flat, B minor, G, C
    • Extended Improvisatory section on the dominant
    • Recap: Second Theme in Parallel Major (F), Third Theme in Tonic
    • Developmental Coda
  • Movement II in D-flat (Andante con moto) - Theme & Four Variations
    • Chorale
    • “Resolves” to a diminished 7th chord, leading to
  • Finale in F minor (Allegro ma non troppo)
    • Introduction serves as an extended cadence
    • Exposition reveals several distinct motives. Development begins in B-flat minor
    • No quick cycling through keys, F minor predominates