In Search of Beethoven (Phil Grabsky's blog)

[Michael]

I think the best thing this movie has going for it, which I have not seen, is that there is not a writer and actor trying to portray Beethoven. Although, I also, do not have high hopes for this film. Even when I go to the website they have a trailer and the 9th starts playing- seems like another cliche geared towards the popular culture. All these Beethoven movies use the 9th and make these huge scenes surrounding it- I do not like this. Although, I must give it a chance, and hopefully will be surprised.

This is a solid enough documentary with no gimmicks. The only frustrating thing about it is the tiny excerpts from the works but it is, after all, only a two-hour film.
Far from the usual cliches about the Ninth, I was quite startled to hear no less a person than Jonathan Del Mar actually criticising the structure of the last movement. Once you got over the initial shock,the absence of the customary lip service was refreshing.
Also, two world-famous pianists - Emmanuel Axe and Ronald Brautigam, I think - had absolutely no hesitation in saying that they could not play certain passages in the sonatas.

[Chris]

Also, two world-famous pianists - Emmanuel Axe and Ronald Brautigam, I think - had absolutely no hesitation in saying that they could not play certain passages in the sonatas.

Wow, that's surprising. Do you recall which passages?

[Michael]

Without digging out the DVD, I think the one Brautigam had difficulty with was the first movement of the juvenile piano concerto, WoO4. A lot of the difficulty in it was due to Beethoven's inexperience as a composer, but Brautigam did say that if Beethoven wrote it, he (Beethoven) obviously could play it.
Axe's problem was with the Waldstein - either the end of the first or the last movement - the pianists out there probably know about it. Beethoven wrote a passage to be played with one hand but Axe said he had to use two. He was quite amusing about it and said that Beethoven wrote it like that only because he himself could play it with one hand - and to annoy all the other pianists that couldn't.

[Preston]

This is a solid enough documentary with no gimmicks. The only frustrating thing about it is the tiny excerpts from the works but it is, after all, only a two-hour film.
Far from the usual cliches about the Ninth, I was quite startled to hear no less a person than Jonathan Del Mar actually criticising the structure of the last movement. Once you got over the initial shock,the absence of the customary lip service was refreshing.
Also, two world-famous pianists - Emmanuel Axe and Ronald Brautigam, I think - had absolutely no hesitation in saying that they could not play certain passages in the sonatas.

That is good to know Michael. I respect Del Mar, but does he realize he is criticizing BEETHOVEN!!!

As I said, I hope that I will be pleasantly surprised. The reason this movie will be good among true Beethoven admirers is because there is not an actor, I think.

[Chris]

Axe's problem was with the Waldstein - either the end of the first or the last movement - the pianists out there probably know about it. Beethoven wrote a passage to be played with one hand but Axe said he had to use two. He was quite amusing about it and said that Beethoven wrote it like that only because he himself could play it with one hand - and to annoy all the other pianists that couldn't.

Probably the octave glissandi he is talking about. I've actually never found those so hard. But I can't play the rest of the sonata, so it doesn't really matter

[Phil Leeds]

Hi everyone,

In Search of Beethoven is currently available to purchase from www.seventh-art.com. It will be available from all other major online stores from September 7th 2009.

If you would like any further information on In Search of Beethoven screening dates etc please visit the official website www.insearcofbeethoven.com

kind regards

Emma
Seventh Art Productions

Seems difficult to get hold of a copy or see it anywhere.
Will it ever be available in high street stores?
Why make something wonderful and then hide your light under a bushel?

[Emma7thArt]

Seems difficult to get hold of a copy or see it anywhere.
Will it ever be available in high street stores?
Why make something wonderful and then hide your light under a bushel?

In Search of Beethoven is available to pre-order from all the major U.K DVD retailers - HMV, Amazon, Play, Borders etc. I'm sure if you pop into your local HMV and request a copy they can get it delivered into the store. If you would like copy now as i mentioned in my previous post you can purchase it from the Seventh Art website.

A bonus disk featuring over 2 hours of extra footage includes accompanies the dvd and includes:

- Complete Movements
Ronald Brauitigam plays Opus 13 ‘Pathetique’
The Endellion string Quartet play Opus 18-6 1st movement
Ronald Brauitigam plays Opus 81a ‘Das Lebewohl’ 2nd movement
Christian Gerhart and Gerold Huber perform Opus 98 ‘An die Ferne Geliebte’
The orchestra of the 18th century play the Ninth Symphony 3rd movement
Ronald Brauitigam plays ‘Fűr Elise’.
- Deleted Scenes
- Interview with director Phil Grabsky
- In the Edit room


Emma

[Peter]

Having received my copy a few days ago I'm enjoying this survey of Beethoven's life though slightly disappointed at the portrayal of Antonie Brentano as the Immortal beloved as though this was fact and without any reference to the debates over the years - it is a theory but there are plenty of scholars (mainly in Europe) who disagree with this. The evidence is purely circumstantial.

[Peter]

Oh good, back to your bête noire à la Solomon. It is indeed simply a theory. There are many scholars who disagree with the Brentano hypothesis; equally, there are many who accept it as strong evidence. I have no more to add for the moment, but as I said before, when certain of my colleagues find the time I will come back to the topic.

In the meantime, there is that "other Beethoven forum" (I have no intention of advertising it directly here on your forum) where two members in particular have recently posited an interesting angle that has little to do with the actual identity of the IB, more an exposé of - to my mind - an esoteric approach. I admit I am baffled by their argument, but am awaiting clarification.

Ah now we know where you've been hiding! I've no problem with people accepting the theory except when it is presented as a fete accompli with no mention of any controversy as was the case in this otherwise enjoyable documentary. Also it was stated that there are no portraits of Beethoven's parents but I'm not certain that the ones we formerly accepted are proven to be wrong?

[Peter]

Hiding, you say? I never hide or shy away from issues, you should know me better by now. In any case, I would never hide under a Bechstein, they are too fragile for my massive ego.
A "fete accompli" as you write above would translate (minus the circumflex accent over the first "e") as "an accomplished party", or fête. On the other hand, a fait accompli we all understand.
Still, if we were to search for a musical analogy, your glaring spelling mistake could be likened to a sort of enharmonic spelling, so I excuse you.

Bechstein's fragile, maybe for an elephant! Pardon the spelling mistake but hopefully the intended meaning was conveyed - hard to tell when we meander into the pedantic! On this Solomon issue we have been waiting an awful long time for your response so I'm not so sure you haven't been lost somewhere up in a 'Magic mountain'.

[Peter]

As a reminder, to return briefly to the IB (Immortal Belovèd) theme, the issue (as far as I am concerned) is Peter's contention that Solomon deliberately mistranslated key sources. Whilst I cannot yet rebut this (I am counting on translator colleagues of mine), I find it difficult to imagine that a scholar of Solomon's stature would do so. That said, if it transpires that his translation is suspect (read : incompetent), I will certainly inform you.

Let's be kind and say he was liberal with the translation not that it was a deliberate falsification. Honestly it's so long ago that we had the debate that it's hard to maintain a continuity of thought on these issues and I don't have time to constantly re-examine my own sources! Of course we love you Philip and it's good to have you back - it has been moribund without you and I'm glad you've returned safely from the Magic Mountain (unlike poor old Hans) to brighten the winter days! Have you seen the documentary that is the subject of this thread?

[Phil Leeds]

I received my copy yesterday (under 15 quid from Amazon). I thoroughly enjoyed it and it talked about his works that I would hope to be covered. It was amusing the chap singing a bit of the last movement of the 9th and saying "What's that all about then?"
If I did have to be ultra-critical, I was surpprised that no mention was made of Beethoven's grandfather, as I understood that he had a big impact on his life, also they did not explore what B actually died of.
Other than that I can commend it to the House!

[Sorrano]

The "enharmonic spelling" was a good; I'll have to keep that one in mind.

Sorry to respond on this thread without anything worth writing, but it seemed a good opportunity to re-enter the forum.

[Peter]

Thank you Phil Leeds for that. I have a question for you (and Peter and others on the forum) : do you think the DVD could be "exploited" for teaching purposes? Does it come with (French) subtitles and so on? Many thanks for any comments.

Yes I think it would be a suitable vehicle for that - there are subtitles in various languages including French and you'll have a wonderful time demolishing the interviewee who dares to criticise modern art!

[Phil Leeds]

Yes I think it would be a suitable vehicle for that - there are subtitles in various languages including French and you'll have a wonderful time demolishing the interviewee who dares to criticise modern art!

Having just put the DVD in my player, I was just about to post
There are indeed sub-titles in French and Italian, Spanish and German and 2 oriental languages too.
I agree it would be suitable for teaching purposes, I think Euan commented that there are no actors, to detract from what the man was possibly like. In the bonus DVD, Phil G. says how he tried to be accurate, and gave the example that he would have loved to use the picture of B. as a child but said there was too much doubt that it actually is him for it to be used.
I think Noseda commentaries are particularly good (even though I do not like some of his interpretations of B's symphonies).