William Sterling

Introducing

Achilles killing Penthesilea, queen of the Amazons by Exekias of Athens c. 560 BC. This type of pot is called Black Figure ware as the figures were filled in using the liquid or slip clay which miraculously turned black during the firing process. One of the incidents during the Trojan War not recorded by Homer was the fight between Achilles, hero of the Greeks, and Penthesilea, queen of the tribe of warrior women called the Amazons. Achilles won but at the moment he drove his spear into her neck their eyes met for the first time and they fell in love with each other. Exekias shows this ultimate Greek Tragedy by suggesting Achilles is trying to pull the spear out rather than thrust it home but all too late. Image © Trustees of the British Museum
My name is Dr William Sterling ~ welcome to my website. I have degrees in History and Geography with additional qualifications in Music and Education. I taught full-time at an Independent School in Kent for four years before joining the Civil Service. I worked for 16 years in the Department of TransportRead more »

SPOTLIGHT: Music features

Mrs Eleanor Purce

From 1976 to 1980 I had piano lessons from Eleanor Purce at Keele University.  She had been a pupil of the great Alfred Cortot and as his writing on music did not include his method she decided to write her own version of how she taught based on the wisdom he passed on to her. … Read more »

Orpheus – Life after Death

Orpheus – Life after Death Unlike other Greek Heroes Orpheus was basically peaceful. He braved the Underworld and was one of the Argonauts. Ever since he has been a major influence for artists and composers. This course was run at the City Lit on Saturday 3rd March 2018. We studied the Greek Myths surrounding Orpheus… Read more »

Music For Coronations

This course was run at the City Lit on Saturday 20th October 2012, looking at the four coronations in the twentieth century and the music performed at them to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee. The four coronations between 1902 and 1953 came at interesting times and produced new music that reflected those times. We shall look… Read more »

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