Felder keys in on Beethoven for latest show
When actor-pianist Hershey Felder comes to town, he usually has another persona in tow. First it was George Gershwin, and then Frederic Chopin. Now it’s Ludwig van Beethoven.
For the last 14 years, Felder has been perfecting his unique style of musical biography. The first two chapters, “George Gershwin Alone” and “Monsieur Chopin,” were popular hits with Chicago audiences. “Beethoven, As I Knew Him” adds another chapter.
With these shows, Felder says his goal is to offer “true stories as opposed to making up a drama.”
He at first puzzled over how to tell the story of the great deaf composer. Finding a way into Beethoven’s life was a challenge. Then he came across Gerhard von Breuning’s book Aus dem Schwarzspanierhaus (From the House of the Black Spaniard). Von Breuning, the son of Beethoven’s best friend, was an aide and companion to the ailing composer during the last two years of his life.
“He was the son Beethoven never had,” Felder said, from Los Angeles where he was rehearsing “Nine Hours on Tenth,” a new show about President Lincoln’s last day. “There weren’t many people who got close to the composer, so his story is very unique.”
Felder tells the story through Von Breuning’s eyes and Beethoven’s music. Featured are some of the composer’s most famous works, including “The Moonlight Sonata,” “The Pathetique Sonata,” selections from Beethoven’s Symphonies No. 5 and 9, the “Grosse Fugue,” as well as a movement of the composer’s “Emperor Concerto.”
Beethoven created great music but also very human music, says Felder.
“His music is an expression of how melody affects the human soul,” Felder said. “The thing that makes art great is that we feel the continuity of humanity in its expression.”
Throughout music history, Beethoven, deaf and frustrated, is portrayed as a mean and nasty person. Felder found another side of the great artist that he admits surprised him.
“There is a kindness running through his letters that is very touching,” Felder, 41, said. “One of the things I worked hard on communicating is the sense that he has a real heart.”
Felder refers to Chicago as his “adoptive home.” While he is in town, plans are to film a performance of the Beethoven and Gershwin shows. (He also was scheduled to perform “Monsieur Chopin” but canceled that run to extend the Beethoven show.)
“The audiences in Chicago are incredible,” Felder said. “It’s just a great, great, great town to perform in.”
Felder admits he wonders about the future life of the three shows. He’s done them for 13 years, nearly 4,000 performances. But when he auditions others to take over the roles, they all “sort of fell flat.”
So after the Chicago run, he will put them aside and focus on the Lincoln show and composing. But Felder may not be completely done with his composers admitting he’s intrigued by Claude Debussy and Richard Wagner.
“I want to do something, but again I’m not sure what,” Felder said. “I’ll have to invent another method to tell their stories.”
“Beethoven, As I Knew Him” (tonight-Dec. 20) and “George Gershwin Alone” (Dec. 23-30) are performed at Drury Lane Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut. For tickets ($55-$60), call (312) 642-2000. Felder also performs the Great American Song Book Sing-a-Long at 7 and 10 p.m. Dec. 31 ($100-$150).