How can you immerse your family in the music of Beethoven in a way that’s fun, simple and full of discovery? With this concert for young audiences by the musicians of Anima Eterna Brugge, of course! An unusual version of the Seventh Symphony, brilliantly transcribed – perhaps by Beethoven himself? – for two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, one contrabassoon and two horns, is the composer’s style and genius revealed. Described by Richard Wagner as “the apotheosis of dance”, this symphony is a veritable feast of rhythms and colours, with an energy and momentum that sweep you irresistibly along in a whirlwind of explosive euphoria! But what is it about Beethoven’s musical wizardry that allows him to seize our emotions and take us wherever he wants? The musicians of Anima Brugge will be answering this question in part, by revealing some of the composer’s hitherto well-guarded secrets. Secrets that are also audible in one of his most famous piano sonatas: the ‘Pathétique’, in which the composer, at the age of thirty, revealed his extraordinary musical personality for the first time. These two transcriptions for wind ensemble will also provide an opportunity to find out more about the historical instruments used by the musicians of Anima Eterna Brugge. And to make sure you don’t miss a single detail of their astonishing workmanship, you’ll be able to watch it all live on the big screen! So don’t waste any time: you’ve only got a few weeks left to work on your questions…
Antoine Pecqueur – presenter and double bass player
Antoine Pecqueur is a musician and journalist. Graduated from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse in Lyon, Antoine Pecqueur plays bassoon in several European orchestras: Anima Eterna, Orchestre des Champs-Elysées, Orchestre révolutionnaire et romantique, Ensemble Matheus. At the same time, he is a presenter for the television channels Mezzo and Mezzo Live in France and creates family performances and lecture performances for orchestra or small ensemble in a range of forms and styles.