Reconstructing Beethoven: Mauricio Kagel’s Ludwig van

The subject of this dissertation is Ludwig van, Mauricio Kagel’s tribute to Beethoven on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the latter’s birth, which consists of three separate, but closely related, versions: a film, a musical score and a recording. The main aim of this project is to analyse the performance problems that musicians have to face when realising the score Ludwig van, which is an entirely indeterminate collage of Beethoven’s music, and to suggest ways of tackling them. For this purpose, all three versions of the work are studied in this thesis. The film is examined in terms of the issues it raises concerning Beethoven’s reception and of the function of its music, which consists of unusual performances of Beethoven’s works. The score is analysed from the perspective of postmodern theory and 20th-century art movements, while the roles of the composer and the performer are discussed and redefined. The recording is studied as a sample of how Kagel himself chose to realise his own score. Finally, the difficulties I encountered in my own attempts to realise Ludwig van are discussed, and the ways in which I dealt with them are presented. The conclusion at which this dissertation arrives is that, in works of such indeterminacy as Ludwig van, the performers are required to step outside their conventional role and act partly as composers. Compared to works that are considered challenging to the performer in the conventional sense, of requiring technical virtuosity, this work presents a more fundamental challenge, which has to do with overcoming personal boundaries: it asks the performer not to execute a pre-composed work, but to create their own version of Ludwig van. Since very little has been written about Ludwig van by performers with an academic background, this thesis can offer valuable assistance to prospective performers of the work in their attempt to balance between the highly charged conceptual aspect of the composition and the practical need to achieve its successful performance

The Perfect Coffee Cup

To design a coffee cup that will maintain the coffee at the optimal drinking temperature for several hours using Phase Change Material, PCM. The importance of this project is designing a coffee cup that will retain its temperature for a prolonged period of time giving the consumer plenty of time to finish their coffee at the desired consumption temperature. We designed a double walled cup that would contain the PCM. Heat transfer calculations were done for different materials such as acrylic, glass, and stainless steel with various thicknesses for each material. These calculations were used to decide on the ideal material the cup should be made out of and the optimum thickness of the material. Rigorous experimentations have been done with the PCM showing the relationship between temperature and time for both melting and cooling the PCM. These experimentations were used to determine the amount of PCM needed per volume of coffee. Based off the preliminary heat transfer calculations, material pricing and availability, it has been concluded to manufacture the cup out of either glass or acrylic for the best results. Once the coffee is poured into the cup, the PCM will begin to melt, immediately activating the PCM. This will instantly cool the coffee to the optimal drinking temperature of 60°C and maintain the temperature of the coffee around 60°C for several hours. We anticipate that the PCM will be able to keep the coffee hot for at least twice as long while, cooling the coffee to drinking temperature in minutes. The PCM will melt at 60°C and will absorb the heat until the temperature of the coffee drops below 60°C. When this happens the PCM will then begin to solidify and radiate heat to warm the coffee back up to optimal temperatures.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/capstone/1050/thumbnail.jp

Reconstructing Beethoven : Mauricio Kagel's Ludwig van

The subject of this dissertation is Ludwig van, Mauricio Kagel’s tribute to Beethoven on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the latter’s birth, which consists of three separate, but closely related, versions: a film, a musical score and a recording. The main aim of this project is to analyse the performance problems that musicians have to face when realising the score Ludwig van, which is an entirely indeterminate collage of Beethoven’s music, and to suggest ways of tackling them. For this purpose, all three versions of the work are studied in this thesis. The film is examined in terms of the issues it raises concerning Beethoven’s reception and of the function of its music, which consists of unusual performances of Beethoven’s works. The score is analysed from the perspective of postmodern theory and 20th-century art movements, while the roles of the composer and the performer are discussed and redefined. The recording is studied as a sample of how Kagel himself chose to realise his own score. Finally, the difficulties I encountered in my own attempts to realise Ludwig van are discussed, and the ways in which I dealt with them are presented. The conclusion at which this dissertation arrives is that, in works of such indeterminacy as Ludwig van, the performers are required to step outside their conventional role and act partly as composers. Compared to works that are considered challenging to the performer in the conventional sense, of requiring technical virtuosity, this work presents a more fundamental challenge, which has to do with overcoming personal boundaries: it asks the performer not to execute a pre-composed work, but to create their own version of Ludwig van. Since very little has been written about Ludwig van by performers with an academic background, this thesis can offer valuable assistance to prospective performers of the work in their attempt to balance between the highly charged conceptual aspect of the composition and the practical need to achieve its successful performance.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Reconstructing Beethoven : Mauricio Kagel's Ludwig van

The subject of this dissertation is Ludwig van, Mauricio Kagel’s tribute to Beethoven on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the latter’s birth, which consists of three separate, but closely related, versions: a film, a musical score and a recording. The main aim of this project is to analyse the performance problems that musicians have to face when realising the score Ludwig van, which is an entirely indeterminate collage of Beethoven’s music, and to suggest ways of tackling them. For this purpose, all three versions of the work are studied in this thesis. The film is examined in terms of the issues it raises concerning Beethoven’s reception and of the function of its music, which consists of unusual performances of Beethoven’s works. The score is analysed from the perspective of postmodern theory and 20th-century art movements, while the roles of the composer and the performer are discussed and redefined. The recording is studied as a sample of how Kagel himself chose to realise his own score. Finally, the difficulties I encountered in my own attempts to realise Ludwig van are discussed, and the ways in which I dealt with them are presented. The conclusion at which this dissertation arrives is that, in works of such indeterminacy as Ludwig van, the performers are required to step outside their conventional role and act partly as composers. Compared to works that are considered challenging to the performer in the conventional sense, of requiring technical virtuosity, this work presents a more fundamental challenge, which has to do with overcoming personal boundaries: it asks the performer not to execute a pre-composed work, but to create their own version of Ludwig van. Since very little has been written about Ludwig van by performers with an academic background, this thesis can offer valuable assistance to prospective performers of the work in their attempt to balance between the highly charged conceptual aspect of the composition and the practical need to achieve its successful performance.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Preventing acute infection in total hip prostheses implanted after external fixation of the femur: is there a need for a staged procedure?

We report two cases of acute infection of an uncemented femoral component in a hip prosthesis implanted after external fixation of a femoral fracture. In both cases, the surgical access did not cross over the pin scars. When the prosthesis was implanted the stem crossed one or more pin tracts. The preoperative clinical examination, laboratory tests and bone scintigraphy with marked granulocytosis did not show signs of local infection in either case. We suggest that every patient destined to receive a prosthesis after external fixation should be treated with a staged procedure, the first step being excision of the soft tissues around the pin tracts and curettage or drilling of the bony holes, followed by prosthesis implant

A hinged external fixator for complex elbow dislocations: A multicenter prospective cohort study

Background: Elbow dislocations can be classified as simple or complex. Simple dislocations are characterized by the absence of fractures, while complex dislocations are associated with fractures of the radial head, olecranon, or coronoid process. The majority of patients with these complex dislocations are treated with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), or arthroplasty in case of a non-reconstructable radial head fracture. If the elbow joint remains unstable after fracture fixation, a hinged elbow fixator can be applied. The fixator provides stability to the elbow joint, and allows for early mobilization. The latter may be important for preventing stiffness of the joint. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of early mobilization with a hinged external elbow fixator on clinical outcome in patients with complex elbow dislocations with residual instability following fracture fixation. Methods/Design. The design of the study will be a multicenter prospective cohort study of 30 patients who have sustained a complex elbow dislocation and are treated with a hinged elbow fixator following fracture fixation because of residual instability. Early active motion exercises within the limits of pain will be started immediately after surgery under supervision of a physical therapist. Outcome will be evaluated at regular intervals over the subsequent 12 months. The primary outcome is the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score. The secondary outcome measures are the Mayo Elbow Performance Index, Oxford Elbow Score, pain level at both sides, range of motion of the elbow joint at both sides, radiographic healing of the fractures and formation of periarticular ossifications, rate of secondary interventions and complications, and health-related quality of life (Short-Form 36). Discussion. The outcome of this study will yield quantitative data on the functional outcome in patients with a complex elbow dislocation and who are treated with ORIF and additional stabilization with a hinged elbow fixator. Trial Registration. The trial is registered at the Netherlands Trial Register (NTR1996)