New Music Series on BBC 4 (TV)

[Michael]

Starting next Tuesday, a new three part series on 19th century music:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/pro...-can-be-heroes

[AeolianHarp]

Awesome! Just my thing to watch. Thanks Michael.

[Peter]

Yes, looking forward to this.

[Peter]

Hmm - rather a disappointment I think! A typical (these days) dumbed down BBC production. Compare with the Great musician series of the 1990s. The few excerpts of music were not only poorly chosen but also generally poorly played - Suzie Klein tried her best to enthuse us with the electric opening of the Eroica but it sounded as exciting as a damp squid in the hands of whoever that conductor was, likewise the thrilling March to the Scaffold from Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique was about as rousing as an amateur Brass band. Anyone who knew anything about music would have learnt nothing (except that the myths are still being perpetuated) and anyone who didn't wouldn't be bothered to find out more.

[Michael]

I've watched about half of it and I also think it was a missed opportunity. The music that Suzie Klein was so ecstatic about was almost drowned by her commentary, although the Schubertiade section worked well.

As most of you may know, I have very little against Beethoven but was it absolutely necessary to show a close-up of him every time his name was mentioned? And the same painting?