“Beethoven Blues” - Jon Batiste Album Review

Ludwig Van Beethoven is considered one of the greatest composers and musicians of all time. Many argue that his symphonies are musically perfect. Not a single note is out of place. No compositions are too long or too short.

Beethoven crafted some of the most memorable choruses ever written. Which begs the question, where does one begin when changing Beethoven’s music?

Grammy Award-winning artist Jon Batiste’s newest album, Beethoven Blues, shakes the foundation of classical music and welcomes it into the 21st century.

Only using a piano, Batiste tells a story through the lens of Beethoven’s symphonies with the soul of Jazz and the Blues. Even though he doesn’t say a word, the audience feels his presence through the keys.

The album opens with “Für Elise - Batiste,” which he previewed in an interview with CNN’s Chris Wallace just over a year ago. Batiste demonstrated what Wallace called “breaking musical barriers” by presenting his rendition of Beethoven’s classic “Für Elise.”

Batiste highlighted the different genres as he switched from Classical to Blues to Gospel. He then broke out in hearty laughter as he completed the final phrase, leaving Wallace in awe. It is astounding how Batiste made such clear transitions between genres.

Throughout the album, Batiste removes the uniformity from Beethoven's symphonies and replaces it with improvised runs that alter the composition.

The accompaniment patiently waits for the melody to run its course before setting the tempo once again. In contrast, Beethoven’s music was more steady and kept a rather consistent pace. This change in style is an ode to the Blues, which is known for modulating tempo.

In “Moonlight Sonata Blues,” Batiste slowed down the tempo and added notes that sounded flatter than in the original song. Notes that seem out of place are another aspect of the Blues that allows musicians to change keys and challenge themselves to build new chords.

In theory, adding accidental notes should disrupt the natural flow of the song, as they do not follow the technical rules of scales. Instead, they completely change the sound of the piano. Batiste lets the note hang as if taking a breath before finishing the phrase.

In “5th Symphony in Congo Square,” Batiste echoes Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5” and turns the song into a duet. He plays both parts simultaneously instead of a call-and-response like in the original composition. Batiste included these wide-ranged arpeggios and dancing melodies in between the infamous chorus.

“Beethoven Blues” is undoubtedly one of the best albums released this year and arguably this decade because of its creativity and ingenuity.

Although Batiste played songs influenced by another musician 200 years ago, his decision to break the barriers between music genres in this way is revolutionary.

In the same interview with Chris Wallace, Batiste cited that music is not meant to be confined to specific genres and can marginalize artists into thinking a certain way.

In fact, one of the most beautiful songs on the album, “American Symphony Theme,” is surprisingly one of Beethoven’s works, but from Batiste himself. This track is extremely personal and has a captivating melody as he taps the treble keys of the piano.

Batiste closes the album with a 15-minute sonata called “Für Elise - Reverie,” where he charters even further off course with many more riffs between the choruses. Don’t be fooled when the beginning of “Für Elise” plays again; the album is far from over. Definitely take the time to listen to this musical feat.

Batiste’s endeavor in this musical crossover is admirable. With this release, he gifted his audiences with a familiar yet extraordinary album that will be remembered in history.

Rating: 10/10

Reviewer’s Favorite Songs: “Für Elise - Reverie,” “Moonlight Sonata Blues,” “American Symphony Theme”

Reviewer’s Least Favorite Songs: “N/A”

Matthew Peters is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email mbp5830@psu.edu.