Eroica

[MickyD]

This film is on BBC Four tonight:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0074rcn

.....can anyone tell me if it is worth a look?

[salymap]

I might peep at iPlayer tomorrow but sadly, think it is not to my taste.

[MrGongGong]

This has been shown a few years ago
and I remember enjoying it for the context of things like the horn section being a completely different social class to the rest of the orchestra etc (were't we always ??)
it's a DRAMA not a piece of musicology !

I think there were bits of it in last nights Symphony thing on BBC4 but I might have imagined that ?

It's easy to underestimate how revolutionary the Eroica was, completely off the wall for the time a bit like Merzbow appearing at the Proms between Brahms Symphonies (not a bad idea ?)

worth a look I think

[Nick Armstrong]

Ian Hart is capable of very good performances, and it gets good viewer reviews on amazon http://www.amazon.com/Eroica-Ian-Hart/dp/B000936H7S With JEG and the ORR providing the soundtrack (and the band I think appearing onscreen) it's probably worth a watch, but whether specialists such as your good self will learn much, I wonder...

Did you see the other LvB film, Immortal Beloved? Now Gary Oldman was great as old Ludwig

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110116/

[Auferstehen2]

As an unabashed, unrepentant, unrelenting, but sadly unqualified Beethoven worshipper

It's easy to underestimate how revolutionary the Eroica was, completely off the wall for the time

As an unabashed, unrepentant, unrelenting, but sadly unqualified Beethoven worshipper, may I thank you MrGG?

Mario

[Anna]

I saw Eroica when first broadcast in 2003, I recall being quite gripped by it but Beethoven is a bit of a passion with me. I've found the original blurb from the BBC press office

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2003/05_may/19/eroica.shtml

[Auferstehen2]

It's easy to underestimate how revolutionary the Eroica was, completely off the wall for the time

As an unabashed, unrepentant, unrelenting, but sadly unqualified Beethoven worshipper, may I thank you MrGG?

Mario

(Apologies for the double post!)

[MrGongGong]

People forget how revolutionary this music was (and in some ways still is !)
the warm comfort blanket that "classical" music has become ignores so much of its disturbing impact
the whole "ooooooooh so relaxing" radio mogadon CFM approach is a sad travesty of musical history
todays equivalents are more likely to be found in electroacoustic music, sound art and the followers of Xenakis rather than the Einaudi's and Karl Jenkins's

(Apologies for the recapitulation ! but it's always necessary to play ALL the repeats even in Vexations )

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

the whole radio mogadon CFM approach

todays equivalents are more likely to be found in electroacoustic music, sound art and the followers of Xenakis rather than the Einaudis and Karl Jenkinses

Eroica does a decent job of communicating the dangerous nature of the work to a modern audience unaware of this, with Tim Piggot-Smith doing a good turn as the Simon of the early 19th Century.
Good demonstration of the Instruments of the time and the difficulties they encountered playing this Music for the first time. (Difficulties that miraculously fade away after bar 40! Be fair: it's a ninety minute film.)
It's enjoyable, with factual content tweeked and twisted in order to include as many aspects of the work and its composer (and to have a bit of "love interest") in its time span.

And it makes a change from a murder in pleasant surroundings getting solved by a man with a nice accent!

Best Wishes.

[Ferretfancy]

My favourite portrayal of Beethoven came in the shape of Dudley Moore, sitting at his piano trying to compose the opening notes of the Fifth, while all the time Mrs Beethoven ( ???) in the shape of Peter Cooke, was using the vacuum cleaner --- " Lift your legs ! "

[3rd Viennese School]

Better than that. Monty Python. John Cleese as Beethoven has just composed the first 4 notes of the 5th symphony when the cleaner walks in, gets in the way, complete with the screechy talking.
“You stupid woman!” shouts Beethoven. “ Forgotten it now!”

Then you keep hearing 4 wrong notes and Beethoven shouting “Aaaaarggh!That’s not it!!”

Classic.I had to go and change.

3VS

[Nick Armstrong]

I had to go and change.

[Anna]

Looking back, 8 years ago when I saw this Eroica drama, my knowledge of classical music was not great but the Eroica was, and remains, my favourite symphony and Beethoven is my main man (that's leaving aside Shosta of course) and I think that's why it gripped.

As it's chucking it down and likely to continue so all evening I'll be tuning in again and so, yes, I'd recommend it.

[MickyD]

Ian Hart is capable of very good performances, and it gets good viewer reviews on amazon http://www.amazon.com/Eroica-Ian-Hart/dp/B000936H7S With JEG and the ORR providing the soundtrack (and the band I think appearing onscreen) it's probably worth a watch, but whether specialists such as your good self will learn much, I wonder...

Did you see the other LvB film, Immortal Beloved? Now Gary Oldman was great as old Ludwig

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110116/

Oh, Caliban, I'm sorry to be in disagreement with you for once, but I recently saw that Oldman film and thought it was truly terrible!

[Nick Armstrong]

Oh, Caliban, I'm sorry to be in disagreement with you for once, but I recently saw that Oldman film and thought it was truly terrible!

Yeah the film is dodgy but I liked Oldman I remember - tho it must be 10 years or more since I saw it.