Bach’s Art of Fugue, Mozart’s Requiem, Schubert’s Symphony No. 8, Alban Berg’s opera Lulu, and Elgar’s 3rd Symphony are all pieces that are famously incomplete.
This lecture examines the fascination surrounding works that are left unfinished at their composers’ deaths. It also looks at the urge that certain of us have to complete these uncompleted works, however unwisely and however unbidden. ‘Don’t let anyone tinker with it’, said Elgar; but several have anyway, and with thought-provoking results.
Jeremy is Visiting Gresham Professor of Music History.
He is Director of Music at the London church of St Luke’s, Chelsea and a Supervisor for the Music Tripos at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge.
He has delivered the annual Christmas carol service at Gresham College since 2014. In 2019, he was made Visiting Professor of Music History.
Professor Summerly's lecture series are as follows:
2021/22 Music and Emotion
2020/21 100 Years of BBC Radio
2019/20 Making Music
All lectures by the Visiting Professor of Music History can be accessed here.
