Beethoven Heard at the Cinema

[Maurice Colgan]

A minute or two of Beethoven's Pathetique sonata is played by a character in the "Wild Target" movie at cinemas now.
A nice surpise when you are not expecting to hear that particular slow movement.
The film is quite funny. An English gentleman hitman falls in love with his target!

[Michael]

Beethoven's music has turned up in quite a few movies lately, notably in "Knowing", an apocalyptic drama in which effective use is made of the second movement of the 7th symphony.

[Maurice Colgan]

Beethoven's music has turned up in quite a few movies lately, notably in "Knowing", an apocalyptic drama in which effective use is made of the second movement of the 7th symphony.

Thanks Michael a favourite of mine the Seventh's second. Must watch out for the film............. or get it on DVD?

[Preston]

Michael, I had never heard of Knowing until you mentioned it. I have been watching videos of the movie on You Tube. It seems quite interesting. Thanks. Though, I could not find the scene where they use Beethoven's 7th unfortunately.

[Michael]

Michael, I had never heard of Knowing until you mentioned it. I have been watching videos of the movie on You Tube. It seems quite interesting. Thanks. Though, I could not find the scene where they use Beethoven's 7th unfortunately.

It comes in twice. Once near the beginning of the movie, and again at the climax. Get it on Blu-Ray if you can!

[Quijote]

Beethoven's music has turned up in quite a few movies lately, notably in "Knowing", an apocalyptic drama in which effective use is made of the second movement of the 7th symphony.

I am simply curious (and not looking for a punch-up) : might I ask if the "effectiveness" of the use of LvB 7th Symphony, 2nd movement you refer to is something universally shared in terms of the apocalypse? Might a recovering formalist have a differing opinion?

[djmomo17]

Here is the "Knowing" scene using the 7th allegretto - really great use.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sebeztr_xOo

Also Band of Brothers had String Qrtt Op.131

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sUKha9L9AM\

I'd like to find more use of B's music in film or TV (thinking of writing a blog post about the subject). I see in IMDB that the Kreutzer Sonata was used in Hellboy II. Can anyone tell me which scene? I don't remember...

[Michael]

Here is the "Knowing" scene using the 7th allegretto - really great use.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sebeztr_xOo

Also Band of Brothers had String Qrtt Op.131

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sUKha9L9AM\

I'd like to find more use of B's music in film or TV (thinking of writing a blog post about the subject). I see in IMDB that the Kreutzer Sonata was used in Hellboy II. Can anyone tell me which scene? I don't remember...

Slight spoiler warning about the "Knowing" scene. If anybody is interested is seeing the movie, it might give away too much.
The "Band of Brothers" scene is very effective with the Opus 131 extract, perhaps the saddest movement Beethoven ever wrote.
I saw "Hellboy II" quite recently and I can't remember the Kreutzer being in it (which is unusual for me).
The Robert Downey "Sherlock Holmes" had an obscure Beethoven waltz playing in the background during the restaurant scene.
"A Beautiful Mind" had some semi-obscure Beethoven (one of the string trios) playing in one scene.
(My daughter is exceptionally good at identifying Beethoven pieces in the background to scenes - half the time I can barely hear them with all that damn dialogue. )

[djmomo17]

I saw "Hellboy II" quite recently and I can't remember the Kreutzer being in it (which is unusual for me).

OK it appears the Kreutzer appears at the beginning of the auction scene near the beginning of the film. It's just used as "source music" I think, not so much dramatically. I would love it if some open-minded director would use the Coriolan Overture in a battle scene - that would be great! Hmm I will try it myself....

[Ed C]

OK I went ahead and made my Beethoven experiment using B's music with a "modern" film, the Lord of the Rings ROTK. It took just a bit longer than I expected but it sure was fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNXnPO71MhA

Oh yeah, I used to be "djmomo17", I decided to go by my actual name. I think "Ed" is probably easier to say than the other nickname....

[Preston]

OK I went ahead and made my Beethoven experiment using B's music with a "modern" film, the Lord of the Rings ROTK. It took just a bit longer than I expected but it sure was fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNXnPO71MhA

LOTR- good choice! Though, the music does not seem to blend well with the scenes you put it with.

Also, thanks for finding the scene with the 2nd mov. of the 7th symphony. I looked for it but could not find it, which is unusual, .

[Michael]

I am simply curious (and not looking for a punch-up) : might I ask if the "effectiveness" of the use of LvB 7th Symphony, 2nd movement you refer to is something universally shared in terms of the apocalypse? Might a recovering formalist have a differing opinion?

Dunno. The only other film I can think of offhand that uses this movement is Pasolini's "Gospel According to St. Matthew". (Glad to hear you're not looking for a punch-up.)

[Quijote]

Dunno. The only other film I can think of offhand that uses this movement is Pasolini's "Gospel According to St. Matthew". (Glad to hear you're not looking for a punch-up.)

No, no punch up sought. That said, here is a book that might interest you (singular and plural) that may have some bearing on the title of this thread : Bethany Klein, As Heard on TV : Music in Advertising, Ashgate Publications, 2009.

[Ateach Asc]

Dona Nobis Pacem

OK I went ahead and made my Beethoven experiment using B's music with a "modern" film, the Lord of the Rings ROTK. It took just a bit longer than I expected but it sure was fun.

There are many videos on youtube which use well known classical music as pure background sound. One of those particular videos seems to have added some very powerful imagery to the last part of the Missa Solemnis.

The marriage of the Dona Nobis Pacem to those images appears to work very powerfully and exceptionally well.

Does anyone else think so?

This video may be viewed at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QvKSs8jgCA

[Michael]

The strangest piece of Beethoven I have heard was not in a movie but in the BBC's mammoth version of "War and Peace". It was a piece of wind band music that only survives in a piano arrangement by Czerny. It was used in a ballroom scene (I think the ball was run by the Razumovskys - a strange coincidence). The piece is so obscure that the DGG Complete (huh!) Beethoven edition didn't see fit to include it. It has a "work without opus" number but I can't think of it at the moment. I just wonder where the BBC got hold of it.

(Philip, please don't pounce on any typos you may see in my postings. I am undergoing treatment for an eye condition at the moment which may explain my desultory appearances in this forum).

I don't know what the red icon which has appeared above my message is meant to represent. I hope it doesn't mean anything nasty. I didn't pick it out.