In a lecture hosted by Pitt’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Stephen Schultz, professor of music history and flute at Carnegie Mellon University and director of the Carnegie Mellon Baroque Orchestra, led the audience through a deep dive on the Beatles’ seventh studio album: “Revolver.” The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute provides learning opportunities to “adults, age 50 and better, who are passionate about learning.”

Schultz is an accomplished professor of flute and music history and a performer of the Baroque flute. After graduating from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Holland, Schultz taught music at educational institutions including the Juilliard School and Carnegie Mellon University. Though Schultz teaches many classes on symphony and classical music, he is also known for his classes on the Beatles. 

During the lecture, Schultz covered the creation and history of the album, “Revolver,” a task that usually spans multiple classes. Schultz managed to cover the creation of “Revolver” and then some during the 90-minute lecture.

“It’s gonna be a task to do it within an hour and a half,” Schultz said. “I usually spend a whole week on this album.”

The audience of Schultz’s lecture, an older crowd, was highly interactive throughout the lesson. The lecture was held over Zoom, which has both perks and pitfalls. While the connectivity and interactivity of an in-person lecture were lessened by the virtual nature of the meeting, there was also more opportunity to communicate with fellow learners. 

Class members left comments throughout the lecture expressing their appreciation and love for the Beatles. Some attendees reminisced on memories from their childhood or concerts they attended in the 1960s.

This specific class hosted a different perspective than the average college lecture for many reasons. The target age for Schultz’s OLLI lecture was significantly older than the average course, which allowed for an exchange of ideas that are not typically present in a college course filled with young adults. 

Schultz reflected on this shift in demographics during the lecture. 

”I can tell you from my experience with the 18-22 year-olds I teach by the hundreds at Carnegie Mellon … they have no idea what it’s like growing up in the 60s,” Schultz said, “I had to explain to them what an LP was, I had to explain to them what sides of albums were, cause they’re just used to streaming … it’s a life lesson for them, for sure”.

The attention of this age group was not taken away by their phones or secondary devices. This class had their cameras on and chatted with each other throughout the music and conversation. 

Schultz began the lecture with a brief introduction to the album “Rubber Soul,” the predecessor to “Revolver.” Schultz detailed the production and mixing of these albums, as well as the interpersonal influences that inspired the music in them. 

Schultz covered the history of the Beatles in full — discussing hair length, drug consumption and imagery in their songs. 

The social perception of the Beatles was a lengthy topic of discussion during the lecture. From the beginning of their musical journey to the end of their live performances, Schultz discussed the band’s interaction with other musicians, like Bob Dylan — specifically, Dylan’s introduction of the band to marijuana. Schultz associates this introduction with a new age of Beatles music, one that was nuanced and distinctly different from their previous work. 

“Starting with “Rubber Soul,” there is a new sense of collective identity,” Schultz said, “The melodies, the songs are richer, the textures of the vocals are more complicated…They are now talking about states of mind.”

Schultz highlighted the song “Tax Man” in the lecture. “Tax Man” opens the “Revolver” album and comments on the heavy taxation of rock and roll stars by the British government. Jumping from songs like “Yesterday,” a melancholic and emotional song from a previous album, to this, showcases the musical ability of the band. Schultz discussed the range of artistry exemplified by the band. 

“The Beatles were so eclectic and virtuosic,” Schultz said. “They could tackle any style.”

Much of the lecture outlined the Beatles’ revolutionary use of mixing and mastering techniques. Often reversing vocal or instrumental clips, the band experimented with new sounds and methods of creating music. 

“The reason for backwards instrumental lines is again just to have a different texture — going outside the box,” Schultz said. 

This complex strategy made performing live difficult for the Beatles, as certain sounds were unable to be reproduced without hours of mixing. Due to this difficulty, the band fully stopped live performances. According to Schultz, the Beatles became the first band in history to stop touring. 

With a band as renowned as the Beatles, there are massive amounts of information and music to study and learn from. For Schultz, his love for the group and their music drives his draw to the British band.

“Mostly, for me, I just love the Beatles’ music,” Schultz said, “I have been listening to it since the ’60s and I’ve never grown tired of it at all”. 

Schultz discussed the goal of studying bands like the Beatles. Whether focused on the Beatles or another group, there is a wealth of knowledge hidden in these old bands and their songs. Schultz spoke about the importance of musical education, saying, ”Take away whatever you can from whatever you are hearing about.”