Copying Beethoven - Ed Harris

[Amalie]

Originally posted by Rutradelusasa:
You are aware that it was not Beethoven conducting, right?

I think Peter mentioned a little way back about Umlauf conducting. His most notable performances include the primieres of 'Fidelio'; 1814, and the Ninth Symphony, 1824, on both occasions Beethoven also conducted but because of his deafness could do more than indicate the speeds and some of the expressions, while it was Michael Umlauf who held everything together.



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~ Courage, so it be righteous, will gain all things ~

[This message has been edited by Amalie (edited 01-27-2005).]

[~Immortal Beloved~]

Originally posted by srivele:
So I'm throwing it open to the members:
What musical selections would you like to hear on the soundtrack album of the film?

You have to be kidding me! Well..don't have that much on beethoven's music but I'm still going to get anything what I can grab.

for my pick...why not the late quartets? it would be interesting.

[Amalie]

Originally posted by srivele:
Yes, that's what I've read about his conducting, too, so that's how we have depicted it in the script. We were invited to attend Ed's conducting session with his coach tomorrow, but there is just too much work that has to be done on the script, so we'll probably miss it. We're going to pre-record the passages from the 9th that Ed and Diane have to learn to conduct tomorrow evening.
On a larger note - the director has asked us to put together a kind of wish-list for the score of the film, that is, the background music we'd like to use to accompany the visuals, and which will form the bulk of the sound track. (Sony Classical has expressed an interest in producing the album.) So I'm throwing it open to the members:
What musical selections would you like to hear on the soundtrack album of the film?

Thanks, SR

Just a few suggestions:

Choral Fantasia 0p.80

Piano concertos nos. 4,5,

The late String quartets.

The Archduke Trio

'Kreutzer' Sonata, 0p.47

Overtures, Coriolan 0p. 62
Egmont 0p. 84. Leonore no.3

Andante Favori, Wo0 57.

Some Cello sonatas.


I am sure that you will get from all the other erudite posters on this site many other selections for you to mix & match to the appropriate scenes in the film.

Obviosly the 9th will be there somewhere.





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~ Courage, so it be righteous, will gain all things ~

[Joy]

Well, I, for one, would like to hear portions of his Piano Sonatas. Piano music is always so beautiful to listen to as a background. His Sonata #8, Opus 13, second movement is so soothing and beautiful, also the first movement of the Moonlight, Opus 27/2, could be played in moments of reflection in the movie or times of lament or even sadness. The Appassionata, Opus 57, or the third movement of the Moonlight for moments of excitement. Some excerpts of his symphonies could be played at these moments to catch the mood as well. 7th Symphony, 2nd movement, again for sadness, The Eroica, his 3rd Symphony, 1st movement for triumphant moments and, of course, the well known 5th Symphony to show power.
Of course I'm sure the late quartets will be played and the 9th. Since you can't play the symphony in it's entirety some suggestions, the 'Ode to Joy' chorus which you probably already are doing and the beginning of the 2nd movement which the audience demanded they play it a second time in it's entirety. They said they never before heard anything like it especially the first few notes were a revelation to them.

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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Chris]

Anyway, I think the primary theme from first movement of the 4th Symphony would be an excellent choice (perhaps with some of the introduction leadng up to it).

[MusicallyInclined]

Mr. Rivele, just what passage of the Ninth will the two characters be conducting? Personally, I admire the first movement of that symphony as much as the last and I'd love to see it worked into the soundtrack. =)

[Amalie]

Originally posted by Chris:
Anyway, I think the primary theme from first movement of the 4th Symphony would be an excellent choice (perhaps with some of the introduction leadng up to it).

I agree with you Chris, I did also mean to add the 4th Symphony too!

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~ Courage, so it be righteous, will gain all things ~

[srivele]

Originally posted by ~Immortal Beloved~:
You have to be kidding me! Well..don't have that much on beethoven's music but I'm still going to get anything what I can grab.

for my pick...why not the late quartets? it would be interesting.

The film is largely about the composing of the late quartets, so we will have the op. 131, 132 and 133 (grosse fugue, which plays an immportant role in the plot).

[srivele]

Originally posted by MusicallyInclined:
Mr. Rivele, just what passage of the Ninth will the two characters be conducting? Personally, I admire the first movement of that symphony as much as the last and I'd love to see it worked into the soundtrack. =)

They will be conducting passages from all four movements; we anticipate from 10 to 15 minutes of music altogether. Last night we recorded some of the excerpts for Ed and Diane to practice on with their coach, a professor of conducting from USC.

[srivele]

Originally posted by Joy:
Well, I, for one, would like to hear portions of his Piano Sonatas. Piano music is always so beautiful to listen to as a background. His Sonata #8, Opus 13, second movement is so soothing and beautiful, also the first movement of the Moonlight, Opus 27/2, could be played in moments of reflection in the movie or times of lament or even sadness. The Appassionata, Opus 57, or the third movement of the Moonlight for moments of excitement. Some excerpts of his symphonies could be played at these moments to catch the mood as well. 7th Symphony, 2nd movement, again for sadness, The Eroica, his 3rd Symphony, 1st movement for triumphant moments and, of course, the well known 5th Symphony to show power.
Of course I'm sure the late quartets will be played and the 9th. Since you can't play the symphony in it's entirety some suggestions, the 'Ode to Joy' chorus which you probably already are doing and the beginning of the 2nd movement which the audience demanded they play it a second time in it's entirety. They said they never before heard anything like it especially the first few notes were a revelation to them.

Piano sonatas op. 110 and 111 are called for in the script. We will also use passages from others, probably the ones you cite for the reasons you mentioned. (You should be scoring for the movies!) The opening of the second movement of the 9th is featured, as is the major theme of the third movement and several sections of the choral movement (that divine quartet of solo voices near the end, for example). We are considering something from the Ghost Trio for one atmospheric section of the film, and some sections of the 6th and 7th symphonies.

[srivele]

Originally posted by Amalie:

Just a few suggestions:

Choral Fantasia 0p.80

Piano concertos nos. 4,5,

The late String quartets.

The Archduke Trio

'Kreutzer' Sonata, 0p.47

Overtures, Coriolan 0p. 62
Egmont 0p. 84. Leonore no.3

Andante Favori, Wo0 57.

Some Cello sonatas.


I am sure that you will get from all the other erudite posters on this site many other selections for you to mix & match to the appropriate scenes in the film.

Obviosly the 9th will be there somewhere.

Thank you. I have included your suggestions in our memo to Sony Classical, which may produce the soundtrack album.

[srivele]

Originally posted by Rutradelusasa:
You are aware that it was not Beethoven conducting, right?

Very interesting suggestions. I had not thought of using other composers' music in the background shots of Vienna, coming from the houses and so on. Of course, we have to focus on Beethoven's music, but other music was being played, and we do have a few establishing shots of Vienna. I'll pass it along.
We do include piano renderings of symphonic and quartet works; specifically, the script calls for Beethoven to be playing the piano version of a section of the fourth movement of the 9th, as well as piano versions of the op. 131, 132 and 133 string quartets as he is composing. Thanks for the ideas.

[srivele]

Originally posted by Chris:
Are you looking for well known pieces, obscure pieces, or doesn't it matter how well they are known?

[This message has been edited by Chris (edited 01-26-2005).]

For the soundtrack, probably well-known pieces, since the focus of the film is on the late string quartets, which most of our audience will have never heard.

[srivele]

Originally posted by spaceray:
I think it quite refreshing to anticipate a movie about Beethoven where he is portrayed as a real man ,warts and all.

Thanks. I think it is only fair to warn you that there is a lot of humor in the film, and some of it is quite vulgar. Our idea of Beethoven is of a man who lived a very human life, drinking with his friends, making vulgar jokes, and also a sublime, spiritual life. So we are hoping that the jokes and vulgarity will contrast with the transcendent music to create a three-dimensional portrait.

[spaceray]

Originally posted by srivele:
Thanks. I think it is only fair to warn you that there is a lot of humor in the film, and some of it is quite vulgar. Our idea of Beethoven is of a man who lived a very human life, drinking with his friends, making vulgar jokes, and also a sublime, spiritual life. So we are hoping that the jokes and vulgarity will contrast with the transcendent music to create a three-dimensional portrait.

Beethoven's vulgar jokes won't offend me ,I know he had a rather low opinion of most women(the women he did admire were put on a pedestal,so high up even he couldn't reach them).Beethoven's friends often hushed him while he expounded on politics of the day.Spys were everywhere and his friends worried that his opinions might land him in prison.