Scott Cinatl

On Sept. 15 in Ice Auditorium, Linfield students and the local community were treated to a recital of pieces composed by Ludwig van Beethoven. 

The recital was performed by University of Oregon Associate Professor of Piano Dean Kramer.  Kramer has a distinctive background as a musical performer.

He played for numerous symphonies across the country, including the Eugene Symphony here in Oregon.  He received honors for both the American Chopin Competition in 1972 as well as the International Chopin Competition in 1975. Kramer was also one of four pianists chosen to tour for the United States Information Agency’s Cultural Ambassador program in 1984. He has been a part of the music department at the U of O for 25 years. 
       

The recital was structured chronologically, beginning with some of Beethoven’s first compositions and progressing to his final works.  He also performed popular works such as “Grande Sonata Pathetique” and “Moonlight Sonata.” 

During the performance, he displayed a great amount of passion and energy to capture the emotion that Beethoven may have felt during each of his compositions.  At the end of Kramer’s recital, the audience, both young and old, gave him a standing ovation.

Beethoven was one of the most influential Classical/Romantic period pianists, Kramer said. He strayed away from the popular and created compositions so far advanced that early 19th-century society perceived his music as abnormal.  Though not immediately revered for his accomplishments, later on he would be praised later on for his works. 

Kramer said he was amazed by the fact that
 every piece Beethoven created displayed how he truly felt in each composition, and  that is why it takes an enormous amount of passion to make each composition genuine. 


Kramer said music is supposed to capture one’s emotion or the general feeling of a population in a certain time period. 
         

 Kramer said he finds it impressive that Beethoven’s music is still praised and listened to today, although it is apparent that the current generation is starting to stray from appreciating classical music.

Regardless, it is important to allow music to be a part of everyday life, because it is one of the few time capsules that can bring the greatest feelings out of everyone, Kramer said.