This work is one of the silver linings of the 2020 COVID-19 worldwide pandemic. The Lyceum Philharmonic had originally scheduled a performance tour of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony for the fall of 2020 in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the composer. Due to restrictions, we were instead making music in the recording studio with masks on, recording tracks for a new album. Thankfully, this is exactly the sort of music that helps us to Love Music More!

Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in C-sharp Minor, Opus 27, No. 2, Adagio sostenuto is one of the most passionate and beloved pieces of music ever written. Part of why listeners everywhere fall deeply under its spell is the dark overtones of C-sharp minor. This new orchestral version is truly virtuosic for both soloist and symphony. It was no small feat getting every one of those sharps performed to perfection with our student musicians, but well worth the effort. Originally, we had planned on a late night recording session up the canyon to get the full moon effects but we had an early snow fall that would have made that a very chilly and difficult night. As a result, this video is our first foray into using green screen technology in our videos. We hope you enjoy this new take on the definition of a classic!