January 24 | 7:30 PM | Collins Hall
Quantz & Physics Lecture Recital
This interdisciplinary program combines a physics lecture by UW Assistant Professor Dr. Elio J. König with a concert by Verità Baroque, exploring the incommensurability of acoustic waves, Baroque-era tunings, and reflections on quantum mechanical wave theory. Presented in honor of the centenary of Schrödinger’s equation, the evening bridges history, science, and innovation in a unique celebration of art and discovery.
At its center is Johann Joachim Quantz, renowned flutist and composer at the court of Frederick the Great. His music sets the historical foundation and becomes a meeting ground for past and present.
A single, playful Schrödinger-inspired “cat” imitation then leads into a special homage: Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and 32 Variations on an Original Theme, performed on a historic fortepiano—bringing us close to the sound world Beethoven knew, and to the physical resonance he relied on as his hearing faded.
The evening culminates in an immersive electronic experience with sound design by Tim Russell (UW–Madison Music Director, Department of Dance), where centuries-old instruments enter a vivid contemporary dialogue with electronic sound.
Quantz & Physics
In halls where science meets the sound,
Dr. König’s words and notes abound.
Acoustic waves in Baroque embrace,
Quantum theory finds its place.
Schrödinger smiles in feline guise,
As music dances, leaps, and flies.
Quantz leads the court with measured hand,
While electrons spark a modern strand.
Past and present, history and art,
Collide in sound that bends the heart.