Review of Beethoven - Symphonies Nos. 7, 8, 9 / Behle, Naef, Winslade, Muller-Brachmann, Gielen, SWR Symphony Orchestra

If you attend classical concerts in the United States, something you will probably never hear is a professional chorus.Symphony orchestras simply cannot afford to pay a chorus.Most of the time, amateur choruses do okay but they still sound like amateurs.In some works, like Orff's Carmina Burana, amateur choruses really struggle.In Europe there are some professional choruses and that is what you get here and the sound is simply amazing.The power, the intonation and great articulation are all there.The first time I heard a professional chorus was in Vienna when I heard George Szell conduct Beethoven's 9th with the Vienna Philharmonic and their chorus.When the chorus made their first entrance, I almost fell out of my seat.I had never heard such an incredible sound in my life.

If you love classical music, I would absolutely buy this DVD.First of all it is a bargain, cheaper than even the cost of the 2 budget CDs you would need to get all three symphonies.Michael Gielen is an outstanding Beethoven conductor.His first movement of the 8th is simply astonishing.He gets more humor out of that movement than Jay Leno gets in a whole week.And the orchestral playing is magnificent.

I found the first movement of the 7th to be somewhat lacking in vitality but the last three movements are tremendous.As for the 9th, it is very good, not the best, but more than adequate. Gielen's tempos are very quick and the music moves very nicely.What is missing is a sense of occasion.It is somewhat businesslike and performances of the 9th should be highly passionate.

Despite my reservations, this DVD is still a great bargain.Just think about this.In the 1940's, these three symphonies on 78RPM probably cost at least 20 dollars.That was one week's salary and the sound was bad and there was no picture.How times have changed.



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Review of Beethoven - Symphonies 7 and 8 (DVD Audio) [ENHANCED]

The "reviews" by Dr. Allan J. Lawson were hilarious. I laughed so hard I almost did not make the bathroom in time. The Doctor must have been very busy in his practice the last few years and also possess a "wonderful" stereo not to know or hear the difference between CD and DVD-A.

I have both of the DVD-A's he "reviews" (Beethoven above and Mehta Mahler) and they are superb. The detail, clarity and depth are simply outstanding. The only caveat - if you do not have an excellent audio system, don't bother. You probably won't hear much difference.



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Review of Beethoven - Eroica / John Eliot Gardiner, Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique (2004)

We may all know this piece, but to see the effect of this music on everyone from royalty to below-stairs staff lends insight into the music we could obtain no other way.The acting is awesome - there is a bit done by Timothy Piggott-Smith (Passage to India), perhaps a 60 second continuous take, that is Oscar-worthy all by itself and bears watching over and over, as the old warrior is overcome by the music's funereal second movement, perhaps recalling fallen comrades.Watch for it - it is overwhelming.And compare Jack Davenport in the role of Prince Lobkovitz here with his 180 degree role in (the real BBC)Coupling.Fennella Woolgar is suberb as his wife. Key, much of the acting here is of necessity done with facial and bodily expressions only, since the entire symphony is performed.Watch what fine actors can do without a word spoken.The musical performance is satisfying, because the actual musicians, not actors, are the players, and are duly credited.It is interesting to compare this John Elliott Gardiner reading with his on CD with the same orchestra - I swear, this is better!The only flaw - some may find the Beethovenian romance angle a bit hokey, but apparently even it is based on fact.A superb add-on is the entire work performed without break; the spoken parts are replaced by a look at what appears to be the original score.Only the BBC could have or would have lavished such production values and acting talent on one complete Beethoven Symphony.We are just glad they did.



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Review of Beethoven: Piano Concertos 1-5 (1974)

The old way of playing Beethoven's piano concertos involved large orchestras, lots of rubato and a promiscuous use of the pedals that caused a kind of musical haze. The actual notes played were often not as important as the general effect produced. Artur Schnabel's Beethoven comes to mind, at this point. He was renowned for his clinkers and he wasn't averse to a gauzy effect if it promoted his musical argument. Schnabel is considered one of the greatest interpreters of Beethoven's piano music but his style could never be adopted today. Yet there is something produced in the listener by Schnabel's best recordings, a kind of musical ecstasy, that cannot be explained or duplicated. This kind of leading the audience on a mystical journey is no longer in favor, and that's a shame.

These recordings, filmed in March and April 1974 for the BBC, occurred at the tail end of the old performance era and the very start of the new. Vladimir Ashkenazy was a graduate of the same Soviet school of piano playing that produced Sviatoslav Richter, Emil Gilels, Lazar Berman and a host of others of that era. There are simularities that unite them, including a broad romanticism, a degree of Lisztian showmanship coupled with periods of introspection, powerful technique that occasionally borders on pounding and an intellectual streak that produces some deeply insightful playing. Ashkenazy was younger than the others, more modern in his playing. He is a transitional figure: less rubato, less use of the pedals, cooler and more detached (some would say dry), less romantic and a harbinger of the clean, crisp style of playing of today. On these recordings we hear all of that and more, for this is the youthful Ashkenazy and his Beethoven is more alive, more passionate than his later recordings. It is grand style Beethoven that is no longer played and for which many of us secretly long, at least occasionally.

All of the concertos are here, with the third, fourth and fifth 'The Emperor' sounding most brilliant and persuasive. The third's middle Largo movement is especially emotional. I found it deeply moving, something not usually associated with Ashkenazy. The first and second concertos are given jaunty performances that entertain rather than enlighten. Accompanying Ashkenazy are Bernard Haitink conducting the splendid London Philharmonic. They are arrayed in the old style: vast numbers spread across the stage like an invasion force. Their playing is exemplary. The sound in both the original PCM mono and the Dolby two-track enhanced mono is clean and full, though not as vivid as modern recordings. The piano is recorded in front of the orchestra and is well displayed. Also recorded on this two DVD set are the Leonore overtures 2 & 3, the Egmont overture and the Symphony no.8. The LPO plays beautifully under Haitink. The total time of the two DVDs is 277 minutes.

These are archival releases, digitally remastered, and allowances must be made for the age of these recordings. If you take that into account, you will soon find yourself drawn into this grand style Beethoven and luxuriate in it. You may even wallow, as I did. Strongly recommended for the memories it evokes.

Mike Birman

Product Description
Studio: Uni Dist Corp (music)Release Date: 10/04/2007

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Review of Beethoven - Symphonies 2 and 5 / Claudio Abbado, Berlin Philharmonic (2001)

This is a superb rendering of symphony No. 2 and the old warhorse no. 5. In my opinion the DTS soundtrack sounds better (which I almost think is true in general) than the Dolby; but both are excellent. The video is fine too with sensitive camerawork highlighting the various instruments when they are playing. May I just say the playing of the Berlin Philharmonic is superb! As good or better than I've ever heard them in their long history. These performances rank right up there with the famous Karajan/BPO series from the 60's interpretively. And, of course, sonically they are much superior. Get a good surround sound system to listen to these on. It'll be worth your while. And Abbado keeps a tight architectural rein and emotional intensity to the experience. One of the truly great conductors of our time!



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Review of Carlos Kleiber - Beethoven Symphonies 4 and 7 (2004)

I had the luck to see and record this concert being broadcast on PBS many years ago. For years I searched and hoped to find the DVD of this magnificent concert and my wish has finally been fulfilled. Oscar Levant unfairly described Bernstein'sconducting as:"He uses music as an accompaniment to his conducting".Similarly while Kleiber's subtly coreographed movements, facial and body gestures keeps the Concergebow players at the edges of their seats, he makes Beethoven's music sound so fresh as if it was written for him to dance to. I have watched many of the greatest conductors on film or live in concert over the last three decades but this one is totally unique for the level of enjoyment, excitement and learning one could draw from watching and hearing it over and over. I wish there were more music videos like this but there aren't many.



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Review of Barenboim on Beethoven: Masterclass [DVD Video] (2005)

Daniel Barenboim: Beethoven Masterclasses
Anyone who loves Beethoven,and is serious about piano music will love these dvd's!
Barenboim has spent over 50 years of his life with these Masterworks and definitely has something to say not only to the younger generation of pianists but to those of us who delight in discovering something new in pieces we have been listening to, studying and playing for many years.
Almost as good as being there with the Master!




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Review of Beethoven - Symphonies 1, 6, and 8 / Claudio Abbado, Berlin Philharmonic (2001)

These interpretations are a solid balace of Romanticism and modern aesthetics concerning Beethoven.One measure of my Beethoven (if you'll forgive the personal reference) is whether or not in the 6th the flute is free and flying or muffled amid chaos.The BPO balance it beautifully.This is Beethoven at its best; however...

I am working on getting my 3rd DVD of this, the result of skips and stops that appear no matter if their played on PC or DVD player.Amazon has indicated that others are experiencing the same problem, so I would advise that this not be purchased from a source that would hesitate to offer a refund/exchange.



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Review of Itzhak Perlman: Beethoven/Brahms Violin Concertos (2005)

A fabulous DVD!

This disc features Itzhak Perlman* playing two of the worlds most famous violin concertos. ( Beethoven and Brahms). They have been recorded in 1992 at the Schauspielhaus in Berlin with Daniel Barenboim conducting the Berlin Philharmonic.

There are so many things to like about this DVD... to mention a few

-the audio is simply superb. I'm fortunate enough to have a fairly good sound system and I must say that the audio on this DVD is by far the best I've heard when playing either of these two concertos. The basses are deep and rich and the orchestral passages have a real sense of presence and fullness. Obviously, the acoustics of the theater, along with the sound engineering has resulted in a superior product.

-the video was generally well done; the lighting, camera angles and switching were performed, with a couple of minor exceptions, with skillful timing and good effect.

-the Beethoven is played with smoothness and grace; the grandeur of the opening bars has always been one of my favorite musical passages. The cadenza is played with skill and technique that Mr. Perlman has become famous for.

-the Brahms, to me, is the best I've ever heard and it is different, wonderfully different. The first movement, at times, is played with a sense of primordial passion and well....almost aggression by Mr. Perlman. The notes are seemingly ripped off the instrument with sense of urgency and power. The second movement is the antithesis of the first, played with a quiet sensitivity and beauty that would allow you to hear a pin drop in the audience during one of the brief lulls in the music. The third movement showed unabridged joy and happiness as it pulsed on toward its conclusion.

The only niggling feature (from a strictly video point of view) on the entire DVD was perhaps Daniel Barenboim's conducting style; he appeared very stiff on the podium, almost marionette-like at times.

All in all, an opportunity to add another masterpiece to one's classical library. Highly recommended!

*Mr Perlman plays the Soil Stradivarius (pronounced 'shwah') made in 1714; many consider it to be the finest Strad ever made.



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Review of Beethoven, Mozart & Brahms Piano Concertos (2005)

Maurizio Pollini, Jascha Heifetz and Herbert von Karajan are united by some of the strangest criticisms ever lobbed at artists of their stature: they are too good, too cool, too perfect, too detached, too brilliant, too remote und so weiter. Presumably, perfection is to be striven for but never achieved! George Bernard Shaw once suggested that Heifetz deliberately flub notes occasionally to prove his humanity. I assume Heifetz's eventual demise was proof enough of his mortality, even for Mr. Shaw! Yes, Pollini is a Pianist of remarkable brilliance. But he is hardly remote. And if he doesn't linger over every note with exagerated rubato, tears sloshing over the keys of his Steinway, he does something even more effective. He plays the notes as written! With passion, fire and intelligence. And this two DVD set is all the evidence you'll need.

The first disc presents Beethoven's Third and Fifth Piano Concertos with Mr. Pollini accompanied by the fabulous Vienna Philharmonic under the baton of Karl Bohm. These performances are tight; the VPO sounding gorgeously lush, silky and burnished like a Victorian library with oak-paneled walls and plush velvet chairs. Their sound is unique, attributed to the age and hand-made quality of their instruments. Karl Bohm's funky Landler persona and Maurizio Pollini's Italianate and aristocratic playing are a fascinating mix. They give the Beethoven Concertos a mixture of serenity and power so appealing that I replayed the disc immediately. These performances all date from the late 1970's so Pollini adds some youthful bravado to his interpretation.

The second disc features Mozart's Piano Concertos Nos. 19 and 23. If you know these works, you probably love them as much as I do. These are the only Mozart Concertos Pollini has commited to disc thus far; their rarity heightens the sense of occasion one feels. The VPO under Bohm have these works in their bones, so perfect do they sound! Pollini plays them elegantly, with precision and grace. The crystal clarity of the DTS 5.1 sound highlights the beauty of the woodwinds in these lovely instrumental Operas. I replayed them immediately, as well.

The last work on Disc 2 is the Brahms four movement Second Piano Concerto, conducted by Claudio Abbado. This darkly Romantic masterpiece is given a passionate reading, fiery yet lyrical. Less autumnal than most, it is here that the mixture of Italy and Austria is most evident. The melodic lines are long and song-like; less melodrama than one hears under Von Karajan, for example. Pollini attacks the keys and by the work's conclusion is sweat-soaked. Hardly a lack of passion, if judged strictly on visual evidence! A fine performance of a truly magnificent Concerto.

If replaying DVD's is an indication of how a performance has inhabited one's soul, then this two DVD set has erected a condo in mine! Definitely a self-recommending release. If you respond to superbly aristocratic and (yes) passionate Piano playing, you will probably treasure it as I do. My strong recommendation for an important DVD set from Maurizio Pollini, the Vienna Philharmonic, Karl Bohm, Claudio Abbado and DGG.



Product Description
• A terrific collection of five great piano concertos performed by Maurizio Pollini, one of the 20th centuries great virtuosos. • Filmed with the Vienna Philharmonic in the 1970s at the beautiful Musikverein in Vienna. • Karl Böhm conducts the Beethoven and Mozart concertos, while Claudio Abbado reads the Brahms.

TRACK LIST DVD1: Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3, op 37 Piano Concerto No. 5, op 73 "Emperor" Vienna Philharmonic Karl Böhm, conductor DVD2: Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 19, KV 459 Piano Concerto No. 23, KV 488 Vienna Philharmonic Karl Böhm, conductor

Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, op. 83 Vienna Philharmonic Claudio Abbado, conductor

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Review of Beethoven (1992) [VHS] (1992)

BeethovenDVD

Beethoven is a comedy about a family with a Saint Bernard dog and all the trouble the dog gets in to.A laugh-a-minute.

Highly recommended for the entire family, especially dog lovers.

GunnerApril, 2008




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Review of Ode to Freedom: Symphony No. 9 (1989)

For those who have been dying to own a video-recording of Leonard Bernstein conducting Beethoven's Ninth Symphony commemorating the fall of the Berlin Wall, the wait - and all this torture and frustration we had in the past - is finally over...

For the first time on DVD, we can watch this legendary and moving concert at our own homes. We no longer have the excuse of not being able to relive this event because of limited production of video tapes and worse yet, LASER DISCS. We may have seen snippets of it in documentaries and such, but say goodbye to that too!

For those who don't know, this is a DVD worth watching. It's a piece of history in itself. The performance was held on Christmas Day, 1989, about a month and a half after the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Celebrating the reunion of Germany and the rest of the world, Leonard Bernstein, a prolific American conductor and composer (including the musical "West Side Story") led a combined force of musicians from East and West Germany, as the United States, Britain, France, and Russia. Even a youth chorus was also invited to add more diversity. In the final movement of the symphony, he changes the word "freude" (joy) to "freiheit" (freedom), perhaps to give more emphasis that people are free from Communism, not to mention a possible fact that Schiller initially titled his poem "Ode to Freedom". Whatever the changes made, indeed "all men become brothers" in the concert... for the moment at least...

Bernstein, having less than a year to live, conducted the internationally combined orchestra rather slowly, much slower than what he did in his two previous recordings - not exactly preferable to my taste; I'm most used to the relatively fast-paced recordings of Herbert von Karajan, Eugene Ormandy, and Claudio Abbado just to name a few. It's generally even slower than the one done by Karl Bohm. Nevertheless, Lenny, the four soloists from respective countries, the choruses, and the orchestra sang from their innermost heart and soul. Some of the parts were done much better than what other conductors have done. For instance, the jubilant coda in the last movement in particular is performed with top-notch speed and almost inexplainable ecstacy, as if Lenny was storing his passion and power for that defining moment. The ovation itself was a moving moment; it seem to never stop as the audience showed their gratitude and appreciation to the performers.

For those who do know this, never hesitate to buy if, even if you own the audio-only version. Time to use both your eyes and ears to witness this historic and moving occasion.

(Just to let you know, the performance - excluding the "breaks" between movements and the applause - lasted more than 80 minutes. In the CD recording it lasted roughly 78 minutes. That is because it omitted the repeat in the "A" section of the second movement, to avoid using two disks, as each CD fits 80 minutes worth of music... although newer CDs are able to fit a little more than 80 minutes...)

Product Description
Leonard Bernstein's historical concert in celebration of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 has long become almost as legendary as the revolutionary moment that it celebrated. Recorded at the beautiful Schauspielhaus right on Gendarmenmarkt in the centre of Berlin on Christmas 1989, it has now become available on DVD, along with a short documentary film as bonus. The fall of the Berlin Wall on November 1989 unleashed a wave of democratisation in Central and Eastern Europe that radically transformed the world order and Leonard Bernstein spontaneously accepted an invitation to conduct a performance to mark this new era. It was only fitting that East Germany's new-found freedom should be celebrated with Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. The monumental work, perhaps the world's most famous Symphony, was inspired by Schiller´s poem "Ode to Joy", a passionate eulogy to freedom. Adding to the symbolism of the event, Bernstein conducted an orchestra and chorus formed from musicians from both East and West Germany (Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden), as well as the United States (New York Philharmonic), Great Britain (London Symphony), France (Orchestre de Paris) and the Soviet Union (Orchestra of the Kirov Theater).

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Review of Beethoven - Choral Fantasy and Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello & Piano / Barenboim, Ma, Perlman (1995)

A fabulous DVD!

This disc was recorded in 1995 and features Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Daniel Barenboim (on piano and orchestra conductor) with the Berlin Philharmonic.

I became interested in this music because I'd heard the Choral Fantasy while listening to CBC radio 2 (Canada). When I looked up the Choral Fantasy on Amazon.com I found that it was available on DVD and it also containedBeethoven's Triple Concerto. It was a pleasant surprise to find both these magnificent works on one disc.

There were many things I liked about this disc...to mention a few.

-while the Choral Fantasy is awesome on its own (with Daniel Barenboim giving a virtuoso performance), it is the Triple Concerto that is the spectacular focal point on this disc. Its infectious melody is performed with such pace and intensity that I sensed that all participants were totally absorbed in giving what could only be described, at least to me, as a performance of a lifetime.

-this disc is the perfect example of why classical music such as this should be on DVD as well as CD. The video of this performance does so much to enhance the enjoyment of the music; the camera work and film editing for the entire disc make this DVD a superior product. There were close ups of fingers and instruments, as well as shots of individuals and some panoramic views of the orchestra. The camera switching was done with impeccable timing and with great effect; for instance, there is one point in the 3rd movement of the Triple Concerto that you could see the perspiration glistening on Yo-Yo Ma's brow as rivulets of sweat ran down his cheek. Just great camera work!

-the emotional impact of the music on Ma , Perlman and Barenboim during this performance cannot be overstated; the intensity and concentration on the faces, as well as the animated body language of the principals could be clearly seen and appreciated.

-and finally, it appeared that all three featured performers, as well as the orchestra and chorus were elated with the way this performance continued to progress during the evening; a sense of joyous accomplishment seemed to permeate the orchestral stage... What a thrill it must have been to have witnessed live.

Highlight of the disc:
So many to consider, but I think my favorite part of this entire disc is Yo-Yo Ma's beginning of the beautiful Largo (2nd movement); He is totally absorbed in his work, every note played with the utmost tenderness and feeling. Stirring to watch.

All in all, a 5 star performance in audio, video and most importantly emotional content. It's just hard to imagine finding a better Triple Concerto or Choral Fantasy anywhere.

P.S. The only thing I found odd about this performance was the delayed audience response at the end of the Triple Concerto. (one of the other reviewers mentioned this as well) I got the feeling from the way the audience finally responded, that they weren't quite sure it was over (that no one wanted to be the first to clap or cheer); the only other explanations would be that they didn't like it (unlikely) or were so enraptured with the music they simply forget when it was finished.



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Review of Immortal Beloved (1995)

This review refers to the Special Eition DVD (Columbia) of this film
The "Maestro" has died. It is a sad day in Vienna. But the question remains, who will inherit the estate of Ludwig Von Beethoven? His surviving brother believes he is entitled to it all. Is he? A letter is found amongst Beethoven's papers bequeathing everything to the addressee. It is addressed only to "My Immortal Beloved". Beethoven's freind and confidante Anton Schindler makes it his duty to find the woman, the maestro has kept secret all these years.
As Schindler combs all of Eastern Europe searching for the mystery woman, the story of Beethoven's life unfolds, as at each stop,Schindler and the women in question exchange their experiences and what they know. We learn of how the world learned of his deafness, of his abusive childhood at the hands of his father, his relationship with these women, his hatred for his brother's wife, his adoration for his nephew Carl, and of his dark temperment.
Throughout the film, there is always the music of Beethoven. The music seems to fit the exact emotion that he is experiencing.Love, saddness, anguish, ravages of war,freedom. It is as though the music is telling the story of his life. You don't have to be a Beethoven afficianado to appreciate this. As a matter of fact this film is an excellent introduction to the music of Beethoven.The scene depicted while his 9th symphony(Ode to Joy) is playing is sheer pleasure to all the senses. Be sure to have a box of tissues ready for the end!
The music of course stands on it's own, and the cast is incredible in their portrayals. Gary Oldman IS Beethoven, Jeroen Krabbe(The Fugituve, No Mercy) is Schindler. As the women in Beethoven's life there is Isabella Rossellini, Valeria Golina(Rainman), and Johanna Ter Steege. Director Bernard Rose does an excellent job of taking us back to this time in history. The photography is breathtaking also.
What a great DVD it is. Well worth having. The 5.1 digitally remastered score is wonderful(You have the choice of 2.0 also) Dialouge crisp. Picture in Anamorphic Widescreen is sharp, colors are bright. Great Special features too. There is a documentary, and you can listen to director Rose's commentary during the film (this is best after the first viewing),he talks about everything from what is actually true, to the style of clothing worn during this period. There are also subtitles in English and Spanish and some production notes.
Film fan or Music fan you will watch this over and over....Laurie

also recommended:
Gandhi

Marilyn Monroe - The Final Days

Edward the Seventh

Product Description
Gary oldman is beethoven in this untold story of a man of genius a woman of passion and the mystery of a lifetime. Special features: dual-layer widescreen version subtitles: english spanish director bernard roses commentary original featurette talent files and theatrical trailer.Studio: Sony Pictures Home EntRelease Date: 03/06/2007Starring: Gary OldmanRun time: 120 minutesRating: R



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Review of Biography - Beethoven: The Sound and the Fury (A&E DVD Archives)

This (along with a few other DVDs) was purchased to help some youngsters (seven and nine year olds) understand a bit about the music they are learning to play.

It succeeds admirably.The treatment is brisk and, of necessity, superficial; but that's fine for the age group or for those new to Beethoven.




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Review of Artur Rubinstein in Concert (1989)

Following their release of Artur Rubinstein's Grieg, Chopin and Saint-Saëns concertos, Deutsche Grammophon issues another fascinating programme about the great pianist, recorded two years earlier, in August 1973, at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Rubinstein can be heard and seen in Beethoven's 3rd and Brahms's 1st, both accompanied by the Concertgebouw Orchestra under Bernard Haitink.

Produced by the same team, with Hugo Käch directing, the great Max Wilcox who had been recording Rubinstein since 1959 as audio producer, and Robert Hofer responsible for the photography, this DVD provides further insight in the artistry of one of the most significant pianists of the previous century in the indian summer ("autumn" would be too strong a word for the 86-year old Rubinstein) of his career. Rubinstein at this point approached both concertos with an unforced, patrician distance, avoiding all excesses in sound and tempi, as if he wants to let the music speak for itself, at times almost turning it into chamber music. It's an old master returning once more to these works he has played, loved and explored for decades. Yet there's no sign of fatigue or errancy. Very few have been able to make this music sing with such freshness, clarity of line and naturalness of declamation as Rubinstein did. The Largo and the Adagio sections boast a mesmerizing serenity and almost nocturnal quality. Eventually, the simplicity of his music-making, the humanity reflecting Rubinstein's own rich vision of life, have something profoundly touching.

Schubert's Impromptu in A flat major (D. 899/4), Brahms's Capriccio in B flat minor, op. 76/2 and his Intermezzo in B flat minor, op. 117/2, Chopin's Scherzo in B flat minor, op. 31 are concluding the programme and are much in the same vein.

Soundwise the "Artur Rubinstein in concert" DVD is preferable to the earlier release because of the warmer acoustics of the Concertgebouw hall which seem to suit Rubinstein's lyrical and spacious approach better. The playing of the Concertgebouw Orchestra under Bernard Haitink also boasts more character than the London Symphony under a neutral and often bland André Prévin. The rich and distinct sonorities of the Dutch orchestra are a joy from start to end.

Curiously, this DVD gives us the exact same bonus as the earlier release with the "Rubinstein at 90" film, showing the pianist in conversation with Robert MacNeil at his Parisian home in 1977. Good as it is, there are plenty of other insightful documentaries of Rubinstein around which could have been offered as an extra.

Highly recommended.

Product Description
First DVD release of this legendary performance by a legendary artist. "Rubinstein's superb form is matched by the incredible musical sensitivity of Haitink and the orchestra...Sounds and images are expertly cued to the split second... Rubinstein's face, body and hands are captured in a smooth flow of shots and reflections...The Beethoven takes on an almost Mozartean delicacy, the Brahms is infused with all the power it requires." --The New York Times A vibrant and revealing interview, "Rubinstein at 90" conducted by Robert MacNeil, is included as a bonus. Filmed in the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, August 1973 (concert) and at Rubinstein's home in Paris, 1977 (interview) Artur Rubinstein, piano Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam Bernard Haitink, conductor Directed by Hugo Käch

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Review of Beethoven - Symphonies 3 and 9 / Abbado, Mattila, Urmana, Moser, Schulte, Berlin Philharmonic (2001)

These 4 dvd's of the Beethoven Symphonies should be on any Abbado lover's rack.The sound and images are superb.A very emaciated Claudio Abbado gives the music all his talent, and the BPO responds and plays in typically superb style of the highest standard.The possibility of switching to the Orchestra's view of Abbado is amazing, and ideal for the Abbado worshippers.The performances are, in my opinion, better than the CD set by Abbado and the BPO.



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Review of Baby Einstein - Baby Beethoven - Symphony of Fun (2002)

The "meat" of this video is as enjoyable as the previous two musical-themed Baby Einstein videos (Baby Bach, and Baby Mozart), but I am disappointed that Disney, who is now the parent company of Baby Einstein, chose to change the format we moms have come to depend on.When you have a crying baby, it's always great to just pop in a Baby Einstein video, because "the show" usually starts up right after the caterpillar creeps across the screen.Then it's usually 28 or so minutes of non-stop fun, followed by the "Hi, I'm Julie Clark..." advertising portion, and then on to the credits, which show each toy that was used in the video.This was always great because a baby would still be watching right up until the very end even though "the show" was over.Not so with the Baby Beethoven VHS!This video features a full five minutes of the newly redone advertising portion AT THE START OF THE VIDEO!This does not capture a baby's attention right away like all the other Baby Einstein videos.Also, since the ads are at the start of the video, the tape ends rather abruptly, and although the manufacturers of toys used are names, each toy is not shown again.This is a bummer if you want to buy any of the toys and you don't know what they're called.Aside from these couple of complaints, the video itself is good, but I would really recommend to Disney, for future Baby Einstein videos, that they please put the ad section at the end instead of up front.

Product Description
Captivating sights and glorious sounds to stimulate and delight your baby!
-- Introduces babies to the wonder of Beethoven's works
-- Filled with visual treats and musical masterpieces

Early on in babies' development, they begin to recognize primary colors such as blue, red, and yellow. And all the while, they're also processing an infinite variety of new sights and sounds. Think of the joy you'll experience as you introduce your little one to beautiful music and imagery with Baby Beethoven Symphony of Fun. Featuring timeless works by one of the world's greatest composers, this exciting musical journey exposes infants to classical music while presenting them wtih vibrant, baby-friendly images.

Developed with babies in mind, this stimulating celebration of some of Ludwig van Beethoven's most popular compositions will provide an enchanting opportunity for you and your little one to watch, listen and make new discoveries together!

DVD Features
-- Repeat play
-- Language tracks (Spanish, French and English)
-- Discovery cards
-- Puppet shows
-- Toy chest



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Review of Barenboim on Beethoven - The Complete Piano Sonatas Live from Berlin (2007)

It is truly unbelievable what Daniel Barenboim did in the lapse of three weeks in these 8 concerts given in Berlin in 2005, what a precious gift to be able to watch these superb performances of the complete Beethoven 32 Piano Sonatas in wonderful sound and image and a really beautiful camera work, it takes more than eleven hours to play them all, Daniel Barenboim is an extraordinary musical genius, not to mention the superb quality of his playing and the fact that he didn't even read a single note.
I really didn't know Daniel Barenboim is such a fantastic pianist, his playing in this set is simply unsurpassable, he shows a deep feeling and connection with this music, his understanding of the music and the piano in particular is totally amazing and that is completely reflected in the unique way he plays, he is never boring, his interpretations are so vivid, each phrase played with such care and passion, his musicality and expressiveness are outstanding, and his technic is absolutely of the highest level, truly astonishing, it was like the piano was actually singing all the time.
This whole set is a magnificent masterclass by Daniel Barenboim, truly in the same league with the greatest masters of the piano ever.
The format of the film is widescreen and for the audio we have the option of Dolby Digital 5.0 Surround for optimal sound.
So if you love the piano and feel passion for it do not miss these magnificent, spellbinding, breathtaking and electrifying performances beautifully captured on film.



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Review of Beethoven Lives Upstairs (1992)

Our family (girls ages 4 and 6) loved the CD by the same name so much that we bought the video too. We were impressed at the ability of the writers and director to rearrange the story and the music to fit a film version.Irealized that I knew nothing of Beethoven and read his biography afterviewing the video.Then I was really impressed to find how much accurateinformation about Beethoven's life was interwoven into the story.Althoughwe prefer the CD version, I think that seeing the period costume andsetting helped the girls place the story in an historical context.We arenow all Beethoven fans and listen to his music with new appreciation.

Product Description
Based on the best-selling and award-winning Classical Kids CD, Beethoven Lives Upstairs was hailed upon its original release as "a video masterpiece" by the Boston Herald and "the best family film to appear in a long time" by the Ottawa Citizen. The television special has been seen on HBO, PBS, CBC, the Family Channel and YTV and the home video has sold more than 250,000 copies in North America. Based in part on historical fact and featuring more than 25 beautifully-performed excerpts of Beethoven’s best-loved works, Beethoven Lives Upstairs presents the great composer as a hero for today’s children.

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Review of Beethoven: Piano Concerto, No. 1 & Mahler: Symphony No. 1 (2008)

Let me be honest: I got this for the Mahler, and it's excellent. I'll look at the Beethoven concerto some time down the road. But for me, this was my best encounter with the Mahler first in a long, long time. Even though I didn't agree with every interpretive decision that Fabio Luisi made, he knew exactly what he wanted, and exactly how to express what he wanted to the Dresdeners via his hands, eyes, and face. This guy is amazing.

As such, this is my third encounter with Luisi. The first two were the Bruckner 9th and Richard Strauss' "Alpine" symphony; both on Sony, and both of those are excellent. But then again, the Staatskapelle has had a long history with both Bruckner and Strauss. But I think this orchestra was also born to play the Mahler 1st. In fact, they've already made two very good commercial recordings of M1: one with Otmar Suitner in 1962 (sans expo repeat), and one with Hiroshi Wakasugi in 1986 (I own that one). However, both are now hard to find. I want to cover some specifics, so indulge me in some subjective blather first.

You see, Mahler 1 is basically two symphonies in one. First, there's the obvious stuff: the whooping horns and tricky timpani rhythms at the end of the first movement; the sherzo at full sail; the blustering brass and percussion at both ends of the finale. But then there's plenty of music that's a total opposite to all that: the woodwind fanfare figures near the start of the first movement (which get recapitulated in the finale); the "cozy to the point of sounding lazy" - yet totally playful - middle section of the scherzo; the beautiful "Lindenbaum" melody for soft strings and harps in the third movement; the gentle moments of refrain and reflection in the finale. These moments provide the greatest possible contrast to the music that one normally associates with Mahler: tons of brass and percussion. In this performance, the Staatskapelle cover both Mahlers thoroughly, and terrifically at that. Their strings, woodwinds, brass (not overbearing), and percussion - all four of these departments are excellent throughout the performance. Luisi focuses on these contrasts, and thus drives the point of this schism within the symphony. This is the youthful and impetuous Mahler, but fully capable of self reflection when called for. There are a pair of slightly controversial decisions on Luisi's part, and I may as well cover those now.

At the start of the slow movement, Luisi has the double bass solo - or what used to be considered a solo - played "soli" (the entire bass section). This is becoming more common now, as some evidence has surfaced for its justification. For me, this is a total non-issue, as I've never been a big fan of the "creeky" sounding solo bass anyway. It doesn't make that passage sound louder, just "smoother". Some may wince at that idea, but I find it less distracting. And the other choice I'm singling out will probably be more bothersome to a number of folks: in the slow movement, Luisi conducts the East European village band passages (they're brief), far faster than usual. Thus, once again, making a big contrast to the slow and soft music that surrounds it, and making those passages sound even more Klezmer-like than usual. It's different, and I wouldn't want to hear it done that way every time. But for a change, it was quite interesting, and worked quite well. By the way, in the final few bars of the finale, the timpani and bass drum rolls sound nice and fat - just as they should (and often times don't).

I'm beginning to ramble, so the bottom line is this: this is a terrific one-off of the Mahler first, captured on tour in the new concert hall in Munich (am Gasteig). As for the Beethoven first concerto, I'm sure it's fine too. The sound and picture are both excellent on this DVD, with good camera work decisions in the Mahler (very important!).

All that said, this DVD does face some pretty stiff competition, especially if you're wanting to own just one DVD of the Mahler 1st. First off, on DG, you can get Bernstein's highly idiomatic Mahler 1 (Vienna Phil.) coupled to a decent performance of Mahler 4, with Edith Mathis singing in the final movement. On Philips, you can get Bernard Haitink's far more straight-laced (poker faced, really) Mahler 1 with the Berlin Phil., coupled to an even better performance of Mahler's huge "Resurrection" symphony (#2). The picture and sound are better on the Haitink than on the Bernstein (it's far more recent), but not so the conducting. Either one of those will do just fine. I'm very happy with this Luisi/Dresden effort.

Now it's time for my gratuitous editorial jab: I find it interesting that Bernard Haitink chose to, more or less, reject the Staatskapelle Dresden. Based on the evidence of recent recordings, I would say that both the Staatskapelle, and Fabio Luisi (he looks a little like Roberto Benigni!), got the better end of that deal. Let's hope they come back in a few years time, and turn in an earthy yet exciting Mahler 3 (Abbado has fully covered the "heavenly" aspect).



Click Here to see more reviews about: Beethoven: Piano Concerto, No. 1 & Mahler: Symphony No. 1 (2008)

Review of Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 (1977)

This is indeed a spectacular Ninth.You can see Karajan's total involvement from the opening bars.What makes it great for me, though, is not only the playing and singing, but the video treatment of the conductor and orchestra.Unfortunately, I find many Karajan's videos spoiled because of really odd camera treatments.The orchestra is lined up in an artificial way, or it is highlighted in a way that it detracts from the music.None of that here.Karajan said that he made videos so as to preserve his art.This is one of the few videos that really captures the essence of Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic.



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Review of Great Composers - Beethoven (1997)

+++++

"Watch out for him.One day he'll give the world something to talk about."

This is the actual quotation uttered by the older Mozart when he was talking about the then teen musical genius Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 to 1827).It is found in this documentary that presents the life and works of Beethoven.Besides learning about the man behind the music, we get to hear, through actual performances, mesmerizing extracts of his powerful, dramatic music.

Throughout this documentary are brief comments by respected others such as conductors, pianists, violinists, musicologists, and Beethoven scholars.All comments are interesting and informative.

This film is narrated by the actor (known especially for his Shakespearean talents) Kenneth Branagh.

What amazed me about this film is that, despite being only an hour long, it covers an incredible amount regarding Beethoven's life.With the addition of actual performances of Beethoven's works, this documentary is thus incredibly enjoyable and not ever boring.

I will give Beethoven's principal works below and include a specific extract example(s) of such a work from this film in parenthesis:

(1) Orchestral music: nine symphonies (#6 "Pastoral," #3 "Erotica," #5, #7, #9 "Choral")
(2) Concertos: five for piano (#1, #2,#5 "Emperor"); one for violin (Violin Concerto in D); one triple concerto for piano, violin, and cello
(3) Chamber music: string quartets (#6, #7 "Razumovsky," String Quartet in B Flat); violin and cello sonatas; one quintet; one septet; serenades
(4) 32 Piano Sonatas (#8 "Pathetique," #14 "Moonlight," #23 "Appassionata," #29); violin and cello sonatas
(5) One Opera (Fidelio)

Finally, the DVD (the one released in 2006) is perfect in picture and sound quality.It has no extras.

In conclusion, for those looking to find a quick way to learn everything about Ludwig van Beethoven ("the second Mozart") and become acquainted with his magnificent music, this is the film to see!!

(1997;1 hr;full screen;11 scenes;made for TV)

+++++


Product Description
For many people, musicians and laymen alike, Beethoven is the most admired composer in the history of Western classical music – not only because of the intellectual rigour of his music, but also its expressive power. Beethoven’s struggle to resist being defeated by his deafness has a parallel in his music. This programme explores all aspects of Beethoven’s life, the music and the man, his views on life, politics and the French Revolution. Contributors include conductors Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Michael Tilson Thomas, pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy, violinist Peter Cropper from The Lindsays, musicologist Charles Rosen, sociologist Tia de Nora, director Sir Peter Hall, Beethoven expert John Suchet and Beethoven scholars Barry Cooper, Bill Meredith, Basil Deane and William Kinderman.

GREAT COMPOSERS – THE SERIES

This landmark series presents the lives and works of seven musical giants from the Baroque era to the twentieth century. It examines the backgrounds, influences and relationships that make these seven composers part of the very fabric of the history of western music. Each composer’s life and work is presented through extensive performance sequences, and through interviews and comment from some of today’s greatest artists and most respected authorities.

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Review of Beethoven - The Symphonies Boxset / Herbert von Karajan, Gundula Janowitz, Christa Ludwig, Jess Thomas, Walter Berry, Berlin Philharmoniker (2005)

For many lovers of Beethoven's Symphonies, Karajan's 1962 integrated set of the nine (available as a CD box set from DGG) is the best available. For some (but not me), that collection is definitive: individual symphonies may vary in quality of performance, they say, but in toto, as a unified vision of these orchestral masterpieces, there is no finer set. In his later years, with the dawning of the digital era, Karajan re-recorded the Beethoven Nine. I purchased those autumnal efforts as they were released. I found them to be slow, essentially lackluster performances. They were filmed as well, and when this DVD set was initially offered for sale, I feared it contained films of those later, inferior recordings. Thankfully, it does not.

These performances date from the late 1960's - early 1970's. In many ways, they may be the best Beethoven recordings Karajan ever made. Those of you familiar with Carlos Kleiber's recordings of the 5th and 7th Symphonies might be interested to know that Karajan's 5th (lasting 30 minutes) and 7th (34 minutes) have a comparable urgency of expression. They are powerful, fleet explorations of these two ubiquitous works. His 5th is almost as fast as Roger Norrington's speed-freak version. It is as if Karajan sensed the future onslaught of period performances and was determined to pre-empt them.

The 1st (23 minutes) and 2nd (31 minutes) are Haydnesque Symphonies and Karajan conducts them as such. He gives them a Classical grace with a hint of the Beethovenian power to come. I love Beethoven's even-numbered symphonies; beautifully serene and graceful works that are less frequently played. They strike me as more personal expressions of Beethoven's genius, as if he had nothing to prove but his love for Music. The Berlin Philharmonic are like a thoroughbred horse, capable of instantaneously responding to the slightest touch of the reins. Watching Karajan conduct with eyes closed and only the slightest movement of his body is fascinating and the reason why DVD performances will inevitably replace the CD.

The "Eroica" (lasting 48 minutes) is played beautifully; Karajan crafts this structure with intelligence. Though embracing the mystery inherent in this inexplicable masterpiece, his performance flaunts Beethoven's revolutionary clarion call by urgently weaving the strands of fate. This inevitable tension is barely resolved by the repetitive dance-like themes of the final movement. A wonderful performance. The 4th (31 minutes) and 8th (25 minutes) Symphonies are a return to the sound-world of Haydn. Karajan conducts them as if they mean something and not as a mere afterthought; thoroughly enjoyable performances that had me conducting along with him. Thankfully, I was alone and unobserved.

The 6th Symphony, the "Pastoral" (lasting 36 minutes), is lovely, lyrical and serene. It evokes exactly what Beethoven wished to portray, the beauty and majesty of nature. Karajan loses himself in this evergreen score. An exquisite and delicate performance that I immediately replayed. The final work, the 9th Symphony (64 minutes) is sung by a masterful quartet of Gundula Janowitz, Christa Ludwig, Jess Thomas and Walter Berry, all at their peak. All except Thomas are Karajan regulars. Filmed on New Year's, 1968, this is a fleeter, fiercer, more dramatic 9th than Karajan's previously recorded versions. He himself directs the film of this performance, using the camera to emphasize the twists and turns of the work. This is an excellent version of Beethoven's ultimate Symphony.

The films of these Symphonies all add to the enjoyment. Artistic self-indulgences are minimized. There are no slap-to-the-forehead, My-God-what-were-they-thinking? moments. The LPCM stereo and DTS 5.1 sound (the best sounding format) are both crystal clear, never betraying the age of these films. The performances are uniformly excellent, making this three DVD set nearly self-recommending. Watching them one can see why Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic were so admired, way back when the world was young.



Click Here to see more reviews about: Beethoven - The Symphonies Boxset / Herbert von Karajan, Gundula Janowitz, Christa Ludwig, Jess Thomas, Walter Berry, Berlin Philharmoniker (2005)

Review of Beethoven's 5th (2003)

Beethoven's 5th was a disappointment.Like so many sequals, Beethoven movies should have stopped after the first two!The first one was excellent, the second was good and the last three were just ho-hum.I would suggest renting the movie before decided to purchase it.

Product Description
Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca)Release Date: 01/09/2007Starring: Elizabeth Warner Katherine HelmondRun time: 90 minutesRating: GDirector: Mark Griffiths

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Review of Beethoven's 3rd (2000)

I watched this third sequal right after seeing the two original movies and it was not what I expected. I love Beethoven 1 & 2 but this sequal was boring and ridiculous. The original cast are gone and the new characters are just boring. The villians in this movie are really stupid. The only interesting thing about this movie was looking at Beethoven. This movie really wasted my time and I suggest saving your time and money. Not funny or interesting at all!!! Anyway I can't wait to see the fourth one though!!!

Product Description
BEETHOVEN JOINS THE NEWTON FAMILY FOR A RV VACATION, AND SAVES THEM FROM TWO BUMBLING CROOKS OUT TO RECOVER A DVD CONTAINING A FORTUNE IN STOLEN COMPUTER INFORMATION. SPECIAL FEATURES: CAST AND FILMMAKERS, PRODUCTION NOTES AND UNIVERSAL WEB LINK.

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Review of Claudio Abbado: Beethoven - Symphonies 1-9 (2008)

In 2001, during the month of February, the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Claudio Abbado, were in residence at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome to play all nine of the Beethoven symphonies. The first eight symphonies were recorded for television by the renowned music film producer Paul Smaczny and directed for television by Bob Coles. The 9th had already been recorded in Berlin the year before with a distinguished cast of singers -- Karita Mattila, Violeta Urmana, Thomas Moser, and Eike Wim Schulte, along with the Swedish Radio Choir and the legendary Eric Ericson Chamber Choir -- and it is that performance that is included here. These performances have been released on four single DVDs previously, but this compilation box set of four discs is now available from Euroarts for an amazingly low price, much lower than than if you bought the single discs. You can read other customer reviews of the single issues here: Beethoven - Symphonies 1, 6, and 8 / Claudio Abbado, Berlin Philharmonic, Beethoven - Symphonies 2 and 5 / Claudio Abbado, Berlin Philharmonic, Beethoven - Symphonies 3 and 9 / Abbado, Mattila, Urmana, Moser, Schulte, Berlin Philharmonic, and Beethoven - Symphonies 4 and 7 / Claudio Abbado, Berlin Philharmonic. I have not reviewed the single issues but will not linger here to offer a review of each disc. I will simply say that for me Abbado is the master conductor of the present age and that his Beethoven interpretations, using the recently completed Bärenreiter edition of the symphonies done by English musicologist Jonathan del Mar, are almost universally hailed. The main achievement of this edition is the removal of hundreds of errors that crept into the first edition and have been perpetuated, or have multiplied, in subsequent editions. Abbado chooses to use somewhat reduced string sections in Symphonies Nos. 1, 2, 4 & 8, as is fitting for their gentler spirit. These same Rome and Berlin performances have been issued in a CD box set Beethoven: The Symphonies [Box Set] and in my view are generally preferred to his earlier issued traversal on Deutsche Grammophon Beethoven - Die Symphonien (Symphonies 1-9) / Abbado, Berlin Philharmonic, which in addition is hugely more expensively priced. Interestingly, the present DVD box set costs less at Amazon than the CD box set. Go figure!

Interpretively these performances tend to be a bit on the fast side, with absolutely clear sonics and transparent balances. The men and women of the Berliner Philharmoniker, a younger group than we had been used to even a decade earlier, play like angels. Abbado himself had just been through a harrowing bout with stomach cancer and looks very thin but otherwise healthy in these performances. He says of this period, 'Music is the best medicine. More than any other form of therapy, it is music that has helped me through these last few difficult months.' Visually, the performances on DVD are neatly photographed. In several of the symphonies -- Nos. 3, 5, 6 & 7 -- the viewer has the option of viewing the performance in a 'Conductor's View' in addition to the usual 'Concert View' by use of the 'angle' button on the DVD's remote control. The 'Conductor's View' simply focuses on Abbado from the orchestra's perspective.

In addition to the bonus of the 'Conductor's View', there is, on the disc with with Symphonies Nos. 4 & 7, a half-hour interview with Abbado talking about his understanding of and response to the music of Beethoven.

These performances gave me enormous pleasure and I can't recommend them highly enough.

Running time: 6hrs, 34mins; Format: NTSC 16:9; Sound: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1; DTS 5.1; Substitles: German, English, French, Italian, Spanish; Region code: 0 (worldwide).

Scott Morrison

Product Description
In February 2001 the Berlin Philharmonic and Claudio Abbado were guests at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome with all of Beethoven's symphonies. Their success was overwhelming: ther were standing ovations after each performance and the critics spoke of seminal moments in the history of music. The video recordings of this event are now available in an exclusive box set, including a special multi-angle feature: the DVDs offer sequences from the 'conductor camera' and show the maestro from his musicians' perspective.

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Review of Beethoven Family Double Feature (1992)

My whole family enjoyed this movie. It was laugh out loud funny! I recommend it for everyone.

Product Description
Movie DVD

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Review of Copying Beethoven (2006)

In October of 1955, Charles Schulz did a series of "Peanuts" strips dealing with Schroeder and Beethoven's 9th Symphony.Schroeder listens to it in an overcoat because the first movement was so beautiful it gave him chills.The October 27th strip has Charlie Brown reading to Schroeder how: "At the conclusion of the symphony the audience stood up and cheered.Beethoven, however, because of his deafness could not hear them, and because his back was to the audience could not see them.With Tears in her eyes one of the singers led Beethoven to the edge of the stage where he could see the cheering people."At this point Schroeder buries his face in his hands and emits a heartbroken "SOB."

There are many stories about that first performance, and while no one knows for sure what has the most credence is that Beethoven wanted to conduct his work, but his deafness made it impossible, so Michael Umlauf, the Kapellmeister of the Kärntnertortheater in Vienna conducted the orchestera.Beethoven was behind him on the stage, giving the tempos at the beginning of each movement and beating the time.The orchestra had been instructed to ignore the composer and when the symphony was over Beethoven was still beating time and turning pages of the score.That was when the contralto Caroline Unger walked over and turned Beethoven around to see the cheering audience, who were raising their hands and throwing things into the air to make up for the fact the man they were cheering could not hear their ovation.

"Copying Beethoven" looks at the last years of the life of Ludwig van Beethoven (Ed Harris) and writers Stephen J. Rivele and Christopher Wilkinson, who did the screenplays for the biopics of "Ali" and "Nixon" (and are currently working on a film about Jackie Robinson), create the fictional character of Anna Holtz (Diane Kruger), a young woman who is sent to the apartment of the maestro to turn his original pages for the score of the 9th Symphony into something that can actually be read and printed for the orchestra.At the premier performance of the work the composer will indeed conduct the work himself, but with Anna working as his ears to give him the proper tempos, and it will be Anna who will turn Beethoven around so that he can see the applause.

What will surprise you is that this film's interpretation of this memorable moment comes not at the end of "Copying Beethoven," but about an hour into this 2006 film.It is the highpoint of the film and then the story continues for another half hour, with decidedly less impressive results.My favorite scene actually comes early in the film, when Anna is trying to explain that she is indeed the copyist who has been sent to turn his original pages for the score of the 9th Symphony into something that can actually be read and printed for the orchestra.It is in its own small wall the counterpart to the scene at the end of "Amadeus" when Mozart is explaining to Saliari how the pieces of "De Profundus" fit together in his "Mass."Beethoven finds an "error," and in her explanation we have our proof that Anna knows what she is doing and a glimpse into the technical nature of Beethoven's genius.But far too often director Agnieszka Holland ("Europa Europa") focuses on Anna instead of the maestro.

Ultimately, "Copying Beethoven" is too caught up in the character of Anna.What could have been a nice conceit, giving the maestro someone to talk to about living with deafness and to articulate what he was doing to change the world of music, is turned into a proto-feminist figure who wants to make her own mark as a composer.As he turned deaf Beethoven started keeping conversation diaries, a rich source of the composer's thoughts regarding his music, so there are original source material to be mined for gems similar to what we get a glimpse of early in the film.Instead, we waste time on Anna's struggle to write music, a plotline that really has no where to go and which ends up being enveloped in the idea that the Beethoven's last works so radical and so far ahead of their time that they could not be comprehended by the audiences of the Romantic Ear.

I have to say that the actual performance of the 9th is far too short for my taste and the emphasis becomes not so much the music as it is the place where it takes both Beethoven and Anna (ironically, while he is conducting without ears as it were, she keeps closing her eyes as she becomes enraptured).There is a problem in that the way the situation is set up you are inclined to think that they are skating on the edge of disaster and that either one of them could make a horrible mistake.This tends to take away from the music and at least there are a few shots of members of the audience moved by the realization that this deaf old man, who had not premiered a symphony for a dozen years, was unleashing a work of monumental greatness.

"Copying Beethoven" also suffers in comparison to "Immortal Beloved", the 1994 film about the composer that had the virtue of framing Beethoven's life in the quest to uncover the mystery woman in his life.But watching Harris play Beethoven conducting his symphony is pretty captivating and throughout this movie there is always Beethoven's music, so there is ample grounds to round up on this film.Finally, if the main effect of this film is that you go out and listen to the 9th Symphony from start to finish, which is exactly what I did, then you would be ahead of the game.

Product Description
When young Anna Holz (Diane Kruger), a Viennese music student is asked to transcribe scoring notes for the great Ludwig van Beethoven (Harris), she eagerly accepts, despite warnings about his volatile behavior. Part maestro, part mentor and part madman, Beethoven reluctantly relies on Anna to help him realize the culmination of his art.

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Review of Beethoven's 2nd (1993)

Now that the lovable St. Bernard Beethoven is enjoying life with his new masters,the Newtons,he begins to start a family of his own,biologically. Beethoven impregnates a female St. Bernard named Missy and the canine couple sire four puppies. One of is named Tchaikovsky,after another late classical music great.First,George Newton(Charles Grodin) objects to Beethoven in the Newtons' home,then objects to the mutt's offsprings. The Newton family agreed to find homes for the puppies after they've grown. George's wife Alice(Bonnie Hunt) is now working with her husband at his air freshener factory. One memorable scene is where the Newtons take a vacation up in the mountains,with Beethoven in tow,of course. Missy belongs to a mean-spirited young woman named Regina(Debi Mazar) who is going through a divorce. After the divorce is final,Regina's now-ex-husband is granted sole custody of Missy. The ex-hubby and Missy visit the Newtons in the last scene. This film would one of Grodin's last. Subsequently,he co-starred with Martin Short in CLIFFORD. Grodin's previous films include SEEMS LIKE OLD TIMES,IT'S MY TURN,MIDNIGHT RUN and TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS.

Product Description
THE ST. BERNARD'S MATE IS TAKEN AWAY BY HER EVIL OWNER WHO WANTS TO SELL THEIR PUREBRED LITTER.

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Review of The Beethoven Pooch Pack (2003)

This set is at Sam's club for 15 something a whole 11 dollars less then Best Buy and other outlets. Then each movie comes out to be about 3 dollars, although the 5th movie was awful and not worth watching. I love the 1-3 movies and 4 is ok

Product Description
Includes all 5 movies.Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca)Release Date: 09/27/2005Run time: 466 minutes

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Review of Beethoven: The Piano Concertos [DVD Video] (2007)

It is instructive to compare these performances to the recently released Beethoven Piano Concertos played by Vladimir Ashkenazy and the Bernard Haitink led London Philharmonic, filmed in 1974. The Ashkenazy Beethoven performances are traditional, with a larger orchestra accompanying the piano, and both unleashing a full arsenal of tricks: extensive vibrato, a profligate use of the piano pedals, slower tempos and broad melodic lines, all of these a 19th Century performance paradigm. The lofty, denser and Romantic Beethoven we hear on those DVDs are no longer considered acceptable for modern performances. Their style was replaced by the lighter, swifter, streamlined Beethoven that we hear in these performances, recorded in September 1989 for the Bernstein led Concertos 3-5 and December 1991 for the Zimerman conducted Concertos 1 and 2. Here we find smaller orchestral forces, buoyant textures, swifter tempos and beautifully elegant playing from Zimerman.

The Wiener Philharmoniker have a unique sound that is especially effective when playing early and middle period Beethoven. Classical era grace, left over from the days of Haydn and Mozart, is a Vienna Philharmonic speciality. Here it produces lovely, elegant Beethoven. Bernstein elicits this elegance from the orchestra while exhibiting uncharacteristic restraint, and in the process, he induces transparent instrumental textures that yield lyrical and evocative performances rather than dense and hefty ones. This lithe and agile Beethoven is very surprising, given Bernstein's uber-Romantisch reputation: it certainly surprised me. The other big surprise is how similar Zimerman's conducted performances are to Bernstein's. Close your eyes and they are hard to tell apart.

All of these performances were filmed soon after Roger Norrington had completed his breakthrough period instrument performances of the Symphonies and Piano Concertos by the end of 1988. Given their revelatory nature and widespread approbation, some influence was inevitable. The Beethoven performances on this 2 DVD set are a wonderful recorded legacy and make a fine sonic monument for Leonard Bernstein, who died a year after his performances were filmed. The 2 DVDs have a total running time of 197 minutes. Sound is available in both the PCM and DTS 5.1 formats, with DTS offering additional space around each instrument and added rear ambiance. The sound is very clear and full, the digitally remastered image is crystalline. There are the usual DGG menus and languages.

If elegant, somewhat restrained but buoyant Beethoven is your forte, you most probably will like these performances a great deal. Strongly recommended.

Mike Birman



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Review of Beethoven's Big Break (2008)

As a kid, I grew up with the first two Beethoven movies! In my opinion, they are the only worthwhile films in the 'series' I was confused as to what this is supposed to be. Is is the 6th film and a writer happens to guess everything that happened in the original classic, or is it a prequel that shows how the first was made. It does have some cute and funny moments, and I liked Cesar Millan's cameo. Eddie is an animal trainer, but he doesn't want anything to do with dogs. His son, Billy runs into Beethoven and he wants to keep him. Soon, Beethoven gets a part in a movie based on his life from the original. I'd probably recommend BEETHOVEN'S BIG BREAK!!!

Product Description
Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca)Release Date: 12/26/2008Run time: 101 minutesRating: Pg

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Review of Beethoven's Dog-Gone Best Movie Pack

Some time ago my daughter got into dogs...when the Beethoven's Big Break came out on video, I grabbed one for her...She LoVeS this movie, that I quickly went on Amazon to see about purchasing the others...I found the "6 pack" which is every Beethoven movie made to date for $39.99...(I had no idea it included the NEWLY released Beehoven's Big Break, which I just paid $19.99 for at Walmart).This Beethoven's Dog-Gone Best Movie Pack is an AwSoMe DeAl!

Product Description
CONTAINS BEETHOVEN 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, AND 6

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Review of Beethoven (1992)

BeethovenDVD

Beethoven is a comedy about a family with a Saint Bernard dog and all the trouble the dog gets in to.A laugh-a-minute.

Highly recommended for the entire family, especially dog lovers.

GunnerApril, 2008


Product Description
When an adorable yet disaster-prone puppy adopts the newton family their lives are turned upside down.Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca)Release Date: 08/22/2006Starring: Charles Grodin Dean JonesRun time: 87 minutesRating: PgDirector: Brian Levant

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