Revolution & Romance: Musical Masters of the 19th Century

[Stanley Stewart]

A new 3-part series starts on BBC 4, 21.00-22.00hrs, Tuesday, 31 May.
In Part 1, We Can Be Heroes, Suzy Klein explores how music became a dominant art form during a time of great political and industrial change. With the growth of an affluent middle class, composers and performers were no longer the servants of monarchs...could be worthwhile.

[Stanley Stewart]

A slick and enjoyable start which indicated an era of constant upheaval, accompanied by excerpts from Schubert, Rossini and perhaps the beginning of pop star celebrity in the appeal of violin virtuoso Paganini.

[vinteuil]

... I liked it a lot. And good to see la Klein doing some proper hands-on music (accompanying le Bostridge in der Leiermann) as well as being a very attractive face-to-camera.

[Richard Tarleton]

I did too - tuned in part way through thus missing the Schubert (will catch up) but enjoyed her jokey session with Jack Liebeck ("This won't be in the programme will it?" after fluffing his ricochet-bowing ) and his interesting remarks on Paganini's hands, and the pianist demonstrating double-escapement with La Campanella.....

[Nick Armstrong]

I did too - tuned in part way through thus missing the Schubert (will catch up) but enjoyed her jokey session with Jack Liebeck ("This won't be in the programme will it?" after fluffing his ricochet-bowing ) and his interesting remarks on Paganini's hands, and the pianist demonstrating double-escapement with La Campanella.....

Saw sections and enjoyed what I saw (must catch the Liebeck section - re Paganini, presumably).

As with the Hislop/Beethoven programme, one knew most of the factual stuff... Berlioz/Harriet Smithson &c. &c.... but the extra details made it worth while, e.g.very touching to see Schubert's spectacles...

[vinteuil]

. . . the pianist demonstrating double-escapement with La Campanella.....

...isn't Daniel Grimwood good? And a tasty piano, too. His Liszt playing might almost persuade the Calibans among us - this I found to be a revelation :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001O3MLN6

[Stanley Stewart]

I did too - tuned in part way through thus missing the Schubert (will catch up) but enjoyed her jokey session with Jack Liebeck ("This won't be in the programme will it?" after fluffing his ricochet-bowing ) and his interesting remarks on Paganini's hands, and the pianist demonstrating double-escapement with La Campanella.....

Oh, yes Richard, Daniel Grimwood provided a truly dazzling moment in the Liszt!

[Richard Tarleton]

Saw sections and enjoyed what I saw (must catch the Liebeck section - re Paganini, presumably).

- a very agreeable host on Saturday pm a couple of years back, talking about the 4 pieces every violin virtuoso wants to play (Paganini - forget which piece - Ernst Last Rose etc....)

As with the Hislop/Beethoven programme, one knew most of the factual stuff... Berlioz/Harriet Smithson &c. &c....

Tho I couldn't help reflecting on what came after - Suzy gave us the clichés, but Berlioz's marriage to Harriet quickly soured to sadness and tragedy....Liszt really deeply serious and serially monogamous rather than a promiscuous rock star, and his life ended in sadness and ill-health...and as for Paganini, not to mention Schubert....being a great Romantic not much help in the face of 19thC healthcare

Apologies to Daniel Grimwood for not name checking him, senior moment, mind went blank....

[Jonathan]

Missed it but have set the recorder for the repeat - sounds really interesting!

[Nick Armstrong]

Missed it but have set the recorder for the repeat - sounds really interesting!

Yes just looked it up to do the same - BBC4 01:00 - 02:00, Monday-Tuesday night (I know it's on iPlayer but it's easier to rewind for a relisten on the old hard-drive - and to keep, if it's good!)


EDIT - ah, that one has signing for the deaf in the screen corner; perhaps iPlayer is best in this case. Mind you, it's bound to come around again in a few weeks.

[Richard Tarleton]

Yes just looked it up to do the same - BBC4 01:00 - 02:00, Monday-Tuesday night (I know it's on iPlayer but it's easier to rewind for a relisten on the old hard-drive - and to keep, if it's good!)
EDIT - ah, that one has signing for the deaf in the screen corner; perhaps iPlayer is best in this case. Mind you, it's bound to come around again in a few weeks.

Yes I got that by mistake - you have to be sure to download last night's showing to lose the signing!

[Old Grumpy]

Just watched it. Really interesting I thought (particularly to one not so knowledgeable as some on here).
Good orchestra too.

Looking forward to the next two.

OG

[Richard Tarleton]

A footnote - both Suzy Klein and Ian Hislop (IIRC) used the J-L David painting of Napoleon Crossing the Alps, which crossing actually took place in 1800. I attended Francis Haskell's lectures on 19thC French painting in the Ashmolean in 1968 or 9, he dated the start of French Romantic painting from this picture.

[Barbirollians]

I have been unimpressed by many of Suzy Klein's previous appearances on TV gushing with the " line to take " but she was good here allowed to talk about the music intelligently and not to dumb down too much - tournedos rossini notwithstanding

[Richard Tarleton]

tournedos rossini notwithstanding

I didn't notice him making or serving the Madeira sauce??? It just looked like a fillet cooked in butter, served on brioche with foie gras? Could one of our Francophone/phile foodies please comment?