The Beatles in the Studio (Part 2)

This course is Part 2 in an examination of the Beatles’ recording career in the studio. It can be taken independently of Part 1. The thrust is to look at the “revolution” of the Beatles as songwriters and as innovators in the recording studio, without which they would probably have been a colorful, but short-lived British pop band. It will look at elements of the Beatles’ genius as songwriters, their curiosity about the recording process, willingness to experiment with things that had not been done before and, especially, the ingenuity of producer George Martin in shaping, expanding, and putting into practice the Beatles’ ideas. In the process, we will be playing songs that many of you no doubt have committed to memory over the past half-century. 

The class will be dissecting each album in chronological order. In the final week, we will track the Beatles’ heritage as a group through post-breakup releases. 

Cary Ginell is a Grammy-nominated writer and author of 12 books on American music. After a 30-year career in radio, he has spent the last 20 years as a public speaker, talking about music in classrooms, at conferences and on cruise ships. 

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people 50 years of age and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

Register

Register by 3 p.m. Monday, Sept. 30