The Genius of...Beethoven

[Rod]

In UK, this comming Friday (3rd June) at 9pm the first of a 3 part series 'Beethoven' along the lines of 'The Genius of Mozart' (Charles Hazelwood introduces) but as we know Beethoven is not so much a genius to Hazelwood and thus the word is ommitted from the title. Apparently it will be based on Beethoven's letters. Paul Rhys (??) as Beethoven. Might be good if the narrator keeps quiet.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[Michael]

Might be good if the narrator keeps quiet.

[/B]

Exactly. I wonder will he convey the same enthusiasm about B as he did about Mozart. A preview of the series indicates that it is superior to the last one, anyway.

Michael

[Uniqor]

The presenter love Mozart, doesn't mean that he hates Beethoven though.

And whad hell is a presenter supposed to do if not speaking? (don't anwser that: it's rhetoric)

[Peter]

Originally posted by Uniqor:
The presenter love Mozart, doesn't mean that he hates Beethoven though.

And whad hell is a presenter supposed to do if not speaking? (don't anwser that: it's rhetoric)

Exactly! I like Hazelwood and if his preference is for Mozart it doesn't disqualify him from presenting a series on Beethoven - I'm just pleased the BBC are bothering to do anything like this at all! Let's reserve judgement till after we've seen it.

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'Man know thyself'

[Rod]

Originally posted by Peter:
Exactly! I like Hazelwood and if his preference is for Mozart it doesn't disqualify him from presenting a series on Beethoven - I'm just pleased the BBC are bothering to do anything like this at all! Let's reserve judgement till after we've seen it.

I quite enjoyed the Mozart series but his commentary was annoying even without his reference to Beethoven. But the fact Hazelwood has already put his cards on the table, so to speak, and in such an amateurish way in my opinion, makes it difficult for me to watch any other of Hazelwoods efforts without thinking something negative.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[This message has been edited by Rod (edited 05-29-2005).]

[Michael]

In today’s Sunday Times, Charles Hazelwood has this to say about our friend: “When I’m learning a score by Mozart, it lifts off the page and embraces you. When I’m learning a score by Beethoven, we fight like dogs. He was a difficult bastard, and his music is almost too much for the listener, let alone the player. But if you stay with it, there is a sublime reconciliation.”
Beethoven also caused Hazelwood’s first car crash when he was 17. The “Eroica” came on the radio and “it completely blew my head off. My feet got in a tangle and I hit the accelerator instead of the brake and ploughed into the car in front. There was a four-car pile-up. I had dropped my brother off at school and I was in my pyjamas”.
No wonder he comes across as being a bit ambivalent about Beethoven.
Regarding the omission of the word "Genius" in the title of the new series, I would suggest that it goes without saying. Anyway, on Radio 3 next Saturday, there is a two-part programme - ahead of the Beethovenfest - called - yes - "The Genius of Beethoven".

Michael

[Peter]

Originally posted by Michael:
In today’s Sunday Times, Charles Hazelwood has this to say about our friend: “When I’m learning a score by Mozart, it lifts off the page and embraces you. When I’m learning a score by Beethoven, we fight like dogs. He was a difficult bastard, and his music is almost too much for the listener, let alone the player. But if you stay with it, there is a sublime reconciliation.”
Beethoven also caused Hazelwood’s first car crash when he was 17. The “Eroica” came on the radio and “it completely blew my head off. My feet got in a tangle and I hit the accelerator instead of the brake and ploughed into the car in front. There was a four-car pile-up. I had dropped my brother off at school and I was in my pyjamas”.
No wonder he comes across as being a bit ambivalent about Beethoven.
Regarding the omission of the word "Genius" in the title of the new series, I would suggest that it goes without saying. Anyway, on Radio 3 next Saturday, there is a two-part programme - ahead of the Beethovenfest - called - yes - "The Genius of Beethoven".

Michael

Seems Beethoven has caused quite a few traffic problems - karajan was done for speeding listening to the scherzo from the 7th!

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'Man know thyself'

[Uniqor]

Originally posted by Michael:
In today’s Sunday Times, Charles Hazelwood has this to say about our friend: “When I’m learning a score by Mozart, it lifts off the page and embraces you. When I’m learning a score by Beethoven, we fight like dogs. He was a difficult bastard, and his music is almost too much for the listener, let alone the player. But if you stay with it, there is a sublime reconciliation.”
Beethoven also caused Hazelwood’s first car crash when he was 17. The “Eroica” came on the radio and “it completely blew my head off. My feet got in a tangle and I hit the accelerator instead of the brake and ploughed into the car in front. There was a four-car pile-up. I had dropped my brother off at school and I was in my pyjamas”.
No wonder he comes across as being a bit ambivalent about Beethoven.
Regarding the omission of the word "Genius" in the title of the new series, I would suggest that it goes without saying. Anyway, on Radio 3 next Saturday, there is a two-part programme - ahead of the Beethovenfest - called - yes - "The Genius of Beethoven".

Michael

Thanks for the laugh... er, I mean the infor, mike.

[Chaszz]

Originally posted by Rod:
I quite enjoyed the Mozart series...

Does this include enjoying some of Mozart's music?

[Rod]

Originally posted by Chaszz:
Does this include enjoying some of Mozart's music?

Some bits and pieces of the instrumental, but nothing of the vocal, which sounds rather neutral in comparison.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[Tony_in_London]

The thread of this seems to finish without anyone saying what they actually thought of the programme?


I saw it when it was first shown and have a video of the whole series which I still watch rather obsessively as I thought it superb, particularly the acting of Paul Rhys as the Maestro

Did anyone else see it?


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Love from London

[sjwenger]

Originally posted by Peter:
Seems Beethoven has caused quite a few traffic problems - karajan was done for speeding listening to the scherzo from the 7th!

I think the scherzo from the 7th would be perfect for driving the Autobahn: it's music without a speed limit : )

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[Chaszz]

Do some of the other UK denizens have anything to say about the program after having seen it?

[Rod]

Originally posted by Chaszz:
Do some of the other UK denizens have anything to say about the program after having seen it?

I never saw the Beethoven shows.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[Michael]

As I may have mentioned elsewhere, this three part drama-documentary is the best I have ever seen in this category. Charles Hazlewood is completely forgiven for his apparent Mozart bias - he seems to be just as much in awe of Beethoven. And, as Tony mentions earlier on in this (resurrected) thread, Paul Rhys is magnificent. In my humble, the best Beethoven ever! He is too tall and his features are not too Beethovenish but he captures the part more than anyone I have seen yet. Only Ed Harris could surpass him and this remains to be seen.
I am still waiting for this to come out on DVD but am not holding my breath. Opus Arte brought out "Eroica", a similar drama-doc last year so they are our only hope.

Michael