Everyone knows Für Elise (possibly the most popular mobile phone ring tone in the world). Everyone knows The Moonlight Sonata. But what lies behind the composition of these immortal works?

Was Beethoven drunk when he composed them? Was he in love? Where in Vienna did Beethoven go to eat and drink? How did he pay his rent? What did he do when Napoleon’s army invaded the city? Why did he take his sister-in-law to court? How did he drive his nephew to attempt suicide?

In his show, Beethoven – The Last Master, John explores the man behind the music. The music is there, some it you will certainly never have heard before. But John’s approach is to discover the music through the man, not the man through the music.

You will also hear of the extraordinary coincidences that happened to John and his wife Bonnie when they set off to walk in Beethoven’s footsteps: how they discovered his favourite tavern; how they were given a personal tour of a country estate once owned by Beethoven’s brother.

John began giving his performances about Beethoven soon after the first book in his trilogy on the composer’s life was published in late 1996. He would talk for five minutes at publishers’ lunches and dinners, along with other authors. One day someone asked him to give a longer talk, with music.

He was introduced to Bernard Lanskey, Assistant Director of Music at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and together they put together a show with music lasting for around 50 minutes. It was a success. More dates followed.

John then met David Foster, of All-Electric Theatre Productions, who gave John some pointers on how to improve and lengthen the show. He told John he might be able to get him “two or three dates”. In the four years that followed, John took his show – now a full evening’s entertainment with interval – to around more than 100 venues in the UK, to enormous acclaim. By 2006 he had presented his show in nearly 200 venues in the UK, as well as at an international symposium in Vienna.

Several venues have invited John back, by popular demand – some several times. He is used to members of the audience telling him they have travelled long distances to catch his show, often for the chance to hear it again or on the recommendation of friends.

John is accompanied by Bernard on piano, as well as violin and cello, in an evening that will have you laughing one moment, crying the next.


For further information contact John's agent,
David Foster Management >>