His 7th

[Knowze]

What a terrific site. I have been a Beethoven fan since age 10 when I first heard his "7th" while watching a movie on weather in Science class. Although the music had more impact on me than the movie, I was not able to properly describe what I heard to my parents, both, high school teachers. I thought that I would not hear that most perfect music again when by chance, I stumbled across my parents record of Leonard Bernstien conducting the New York Philharmonic. Oh the joy I felt that day over 30 years ago. I still remember my excitement of that day. One can imagine the look of my parents to come home one night to find their teenage son lying on the living room floor with the lights off and stereo speakers on either side of his head (no headphones), Beethovens 7th symphony quietly playing. I think it was then that my parents thought "This kid is going to be ok!"
Over time I had forgotten which symphony it was that I enjoyed so much, but always remembered the theme of the piece. After a search through numerous stores, I happened upon a great classical store in Calgary and was able to hum a few bars to the clerk and she picked it up right away advising me it was the 7th. Oh happy day. After a challenging day at work, I like nothing more than to "unwind" to this most excellent piece of art.

[Amalie]

Originally posted by Knowze:
What a terrific site. I have been a Beethoven fan since age 10 when I first heard his "7th" while watching a movie on weather in Science class. Although the music had more impact on me than the movie, I was not able to properly describe what I heard to my parents, both, high school teachers. I thought that I would not hear that most perfect music again when by chance, I stumbled across my parents record of Leonard Bernstien conducting the New York Philharmonic. Oh the joy I felt that day over 30 years ago. I still remember my excitement of that day. One can imagine the look of my parents to come home one night to find their teenage son lying on the living room floor with the lights off and stereo speakers on either side of his head (no headphones), Beethovens 7th symphony quietly playing. I think it was then that my parents thought "This kid is going to be ok!"
Over time I had forgotten which symphony it was that I enjoyed so much, but always remembered the theme of the piece. After a search through numerous stores, I happened upon a great classical store in Calgary and was able to hum a few bars to the clerk and she picked it up right away advising me it was the 7th. Oh happy day. After a challenging day at work, I like nothing more than to "unwind" to this most excellent piece of art.

Welcome aboard Knowze,

The 7th is certainly an intoxicating tour de force and it has a restless energy about it that I find very attractive. I love the hypnotic lively rythms.
Wagner called it the "apotheosis of the dance itself, dance is its most supreme essence, the most blissful act of physical movement that finds, as it were, ideal expression in sound. All the heart's tumult, yearning and turmoil here become the sun-drenched high spirits of joy".

I certainly don't agree Sir Thomas Beecham when he says about Beethoven's 7th - "What can you do with it, it is like a lot of wild Yaks jumping about".



[This message has been edited by Amalie (edited 06-02-2004).]

[Chris]

Great story! It is one of my favorite works as well.

[urtextmeister]

I recently got a hold of a recording of Franz Bruggen's Orchestra of the 18th c. doing this symphony. Boy do I love this group and their approach to Beethoven symphonies! I heard their performance of the Eroica while driving to work and I almost drove into a ditch. Very exciting playing.

Some recordings of the symphonies make you feel like you are in the upper balcony of a large concert hall and all of the strings blend into one bland sound. With the Bruggen recordings, you feel like you are smack dab in the middle of the orchestra with a viola player jabbing you in the head with his bow arm.

I, too loved the 7th from an early age. There was one lick in there that made me want to play the oboe. It was so beatiful. Of course then I heard the trumpet in the second Brandenburg and I knew I would be a trumpet player. Maybe I would have if I hadn't gotten hooked on classical guitar recordings and imagined myself as the next Christopher Parkening. Etc.,etc.

[Tony John Hearne]

Originally posted by Knowze:
What a terrific site. I have been a Beethoven fan since age 10 when I first heard his "7th" while watching a movie on weather in Science class. Although the music had more impact on me than the movie, I was not able to properly describe what I heard to my parents, both, high school teachers. I thought that I would not hear that most perfect music again when by chance, I stumbled across my parents record of Leonard Bernstien conducting the New York Philharmonic. Oh the joy I felt that day over 30 years ago. I still remember my excitement of that day. One can imagine the look of my parents to come home one night to find their teenage son lying on the living room floor with the lights off and stereo speakers on either side of his head (no headphones), Beethovens 7th symphony quietly playing. I think it was then that my parents thought "This kid is going to be ok!"
Over time I had forgotten which symphony it was that I enjoyed so much, but always remembered the theme of the piece. After a search through numerous stores, I happened upon a great classical store in Calgary and was able to hum a few bars to the clerk and she picked it up right away advising me it was the 7th. Oh happy day. After a challenging day at work, I like nothing more than to "unwind" to this most excellent piece of art.

Many welcomes Knowles to this wonderful web site. I first got into classical music with just that piece from the Maestro. It was then (1971) Otto Klemperer and the Philharmonia, but I have now heard many other versions. Predictably for those who know me here, I would humbly suggest Toscanini and the NBC which fairly lifts you out of your seat and makes you grip your hands until they freeze.

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Love from London

[JA Gardiner]

Equally predictably, as my good friend and colleague Tony would tell you, I think the most heartstopping, hair raising, cosmically joyful, inspiring, get me dancing down the high street to work version I know, is that by Carlos Kleiber conducting the Vienna Phil on Deutches Grammophon - and its on a CD with his equally electric and definitive performance of the 5th! How's that for a twofa!

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Beethoven the Man!

[Amalie]

Originally posted by JA Gardiner:
Equally predictably, as my good friend and colleague Tony would tell you, I think the most heartstopping, hair raising, cosmically joyful, inspiring, get me dancing down the high street to work version I know, is that by Carlos Kleiber conducting the Vienna Phil on Deutches Grammophon - and its on a CD with his equally electric and definitive performance of the 5th! How's that for a twofa!

I agree with you 100%, I have the same CD, it is a fantastic performance!
It is too bad we cannot share the emotions of those who listened to the great C minor Symphony when it was new.
It was the 'Sacre du printemps' of the early 19th century and seems to have affected its listeners violently. Was it not Lesueur who at a performance was so moved and shaken by the experience, that when he emerged from the box he attempted to put his hat on and couldn't find his head...

[Andrea]

Ah, the 7th! One of my favorites too, especially the second movement, the Allegretto. It's so powerful and moving. We have a charity here in Austria that uses the music of this second movement in its TV ads.

Also in the early performances of this symphony in Vienna, this Allegretto always had to be repeated, and it quickly became one of the most popular of Beethoven's symphonic movements.