BEETHOVEN’S 250TH ANNIVERSARY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AND CONCERT

Mr. Rotman’s love for the music of Beethoven began while he was a student at the Juilliard School where he became a student of Mr. Jacob Lateiner, who was considered one of the foremost scholars on the music of Beethoven. Mr. Lateiner opened up the world of Beethoven to such a degree that in 1970 Mr. Rotman decided to perform two All-Beethoven concerts on Dec.15th and Dec.16th which is Beethoven’s actual birthday. 1970 was the celebration of the Bi -Centennial of Beethoven birth (Dec.16,1770- Dec.16.1970.) On those two programs Mr. Rotman performed 6 of Beethoven’s most famous piano sonatas, including his first and last sonata and a set of variations.

The program of Mr. Rotman’s two all-Beethoven concerts on Dec.15 and 16, 1970 at Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas.

From the success of those concerts he was invited to give a lecture-performance of Beethoven’s final piano sonata for the Public Broadcasting Service that was broadcast nationally. Mr. Rotman, age 20, was a junior at the Juilliard School.

In 1973 he was a Laurate Winner in the 4th International Beethoven Competition in Vienna Austria. Since then Mr. Rotman has specialized in the music of Beethoven, performing his works for piano including sonatas, variations and concerti as well as the Triple Concerto and the Choral Fantasy.

2020 was designated the Beethoven Year celebrating the 250th Anniversary of Beethoven’s birth inaugerating the biggest celebration in the history of classical music. In 2019 Mr. Rotman began performing all-Beethoven concerts which was to culminate in his performing in Bonn, Germany (Beethoven’s birth city) on Beethoven’s 250th birthday Wednesday December 16, 2020. The intended concert venue was one kilometer from Beethoven’s birth house. However due to Covid-19 in 2020, 54 concerts were postponed to 2021 including the concert in Germany due travel and gathering restrictions.

Therefore Mr. Rotman performed an All-Beethoven concert on Dec.16,2020 at the invitation of the Calvin Presbyterian Church in Phoenix Arizona. He performed three piano sonatas and a set of variations.

The program of Mr. Rotman’s All-Beethoven concert on Dec. 16, 2020 at the Calvin Presbyterian Church, Phoenix, Arizona. The programs for 1970 and 2020 have the same design and layout, connecting the concerts which are separated by 50 years.

Also at the concert Mr. Rotman displayed the famous Kochendoerfer Idealized Death Mask. An anonymous art collector has loaned it to Mr. Rotman for his Beethoven concerts.

As 2021 began Mr. Rotman decided since Beethoven is still 250 until December 16th 2021, he decided to continue performing the All-Beethoven concerts that were postponed with his final concert being on December 15th, 2021, the final day of the celebratory year.

In all Mr. Rotman performed 202 All-Beethoven concerts in Austria, Slovakia as well as All-Beethoven concert tours in France, Spain, Ireland and Northern Ireland. In addition, he performed All-Beethoven concerts at numerous colleges and universities and other venues throughout the U.S. including a tour of 12 concerts in Hawaii. At 89 of these concerts Mr. Rotman was able to present and display the Kochendoerfer Death Mask.

Mr. Rotman has performed many All-Beethoven recitals around the world and the Beethoven Concerti for Piano and Orchestra in the U.S. and China. He has also recoreded an All-Beethoven CD featuring 5 piano works.