Life fuelled by Music – ‘In Search of Beethoven: A Personal Journey’ by John Suchet

Katy got the chance to see John Suchet speak about his new book ‘In Search of Beethoven: A Personal Journey’ at Lichfield Literature Festival as part of Young Critics. Read what she thought of talk and Suchet’s take on Beethoven. 

Listening to the talk about Ludwig van Beethoven delivered by John Suchet left me with a strong sense of awe. Beethoven is a name most of us know. Most describe him as a composer, a master, but he was – and still is – an intrepid icon to many.

 

Before hearing the talk, I, as a pianist myself, mostly thought of Beethoven as a historical composer associated with classical music. However, Suchet’s perspective assisted me to understand the emotions and character behind the music, making his story more meaningful. Behind all the symphonies and melodies, lies an imperfect story, one unknown to many, one of prodigious resilience, of struggle, and of intelligence.

 

What resonated with me wasn’t partially the music, but the man himself. This resonated with me because Suchet displayed the whole musical journey of Beethoven, showing not just his immense tenacity and success but the failure as well. The fact that he transposed his personal suffering into works of great beauty is, in my opinion, one of the reasons why his music progresses seamlessly today.

 

One aspect that captured my interest is how Suchet described the hard work behind each written song. Another part that connected with me was Beethoven’s time living with deafness. Rather than presenting it as a tragedy, Suchet framed it as a defining moment of transformation.

 

The audience appeared genuinely engaged throughout the talk and was completely captivated. There was a noticeable sense of anticipation when it came to the shifting between stories, and the ambience seemed to build as Suchet revealed more about Beethoven’s life. Suchet’s talk featured moments of levity alongside serious points, keeping the spectators hyped but also balancing admiration and realism for Beethoven as he was clearly an important artistic figure.

Suchet mentioned that this was not a lecture or biography of Beethoven, but an experience and how he views him. Personally, I think the talk was effective because it was informative but also emotional, so it was engrossing to, not just me but, everyone else with Suchet’s storytelling. On the whole, the talk resonated with me because it showed that even in difficult and severely uneasy situations, people can create throughout their life and even make some of their best work.

 

I also appreciated how Suchet challenged the common image of Beethoven as simply a “tormented genius” and turned the tables to reveal his true identity. Beethoven went beyond composing music, he infused it with a voice that seems to speak personally to the listener, and I believe that’s why he still holds significance today. For these numerous reasons, the talk remains consequential to me and has changed the way I think about both music and the people who create it.

 

By Katy W

Katy is a Year 6 student with a strong interest in English and Maths. She enjoys reading books especially by Emma Carroll and Jacqueline Wilson. She is keen on the idea of becoming an author in the future as she has a passion for writing. She joined Young Critics so she can learn new skills and express her ideas with greater confidence and sophistication.

 

If you’re aged 11-18 and would like to be a festival reviewer, applications for Young Critics are open for Lichfield Festival – find out more on our website https://lichfieldfestival.org/aspire/young-critics/