For many years now it has been a pet project of Detlev Eisinger’s to help audiences better to understand and appreciate classical music by giving what are known as lecture recitals (concerts accompanied by explanatory comments by way of an introduction).

Following three acclaimed Beethoven cycles, Detlev Eisinger received requests from several quarters to record on CD the complete Beethoven sonatas with introductory comments. The first three volumes (one 3-disc set and two 4-disc sets) have now been completed and can be ordered from the Shop. More are to follow in the near future. In addition, the recordings of all the lectures introducing the complete Wagner operas have now been released.

In the course of the cycle of the 32 piano sonatas of Ludwig van Beethoven spread over eight evenings, Detlev Eisinger plays 3 or 4 of the works on each of the evenings. He includes details from the life of the composer and the relevance to the individual compositions and outlines at the piano the most important themes and motifs, showing how they are inter-related.

In each of his Wagner lectures, Detlev Eisinger outlines the plot, discusses how the opera orginated and tells the story of its performance. He explains the historical context, the psychological and philosophical aspects and points out the main sources from which the composer drew inspiration. Of course, he also talks about the structure of the music and the most important themes, motifs and leitmotifs, and plays, in part or in full, arrangements and adaptations of some of the arias and scenes, also illustrating at the piano many interesting cross-connections to other composers. What he is keen to do is lay the groundwork to enable those audience members who are less well informed better to understand and enjoy the subsequent performance of Wagner’s opera.