Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

[George]

Got that one too George....at least there are some choices to be had. 

Yes, that Orfeo one would be first on my list. 

[George]

Just listen to this voice:

http://www.amazon.com/Salzburg-Festival-Live-Vol-Beethoven/dp/B00000599I/ref=sr_1_3/104-2949723-2736732?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1181922549&sr=8-3

[Bogey]

Just listen to this voice:

http://www.amazon.com/Salzburg-Festival-Live-Vol-Beethoven/dp/B00000599I/ref=sr_1_3/104-2949723-2736732?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1181922549&sr=8-3

That is outstanding.

[BachQ]

Just listen to this voice:

http://www.amazon.com/Salzburg-Festival-Live-Vol-Beethoven/dp/B00000599I/ref=sr_1_3/104-2949723-2736732?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1181922549&sr=8-3

Yep, that voice ........  0:)

[BachQ]

And the soundtrack is great   

     

[Haffner]

Mahler's conversion to Christianity featured a leather clad and helmeted Cosima Wagner as Christian/Nazi/goddess, making Gustav literally jump through hoops. Mahler dreams of his death and burial, with Alma dancing on his coffin during a song and dance production number, while Storm Troopers carry him to the crematorium. Sarge

I think I'll pass on this. Thanks for the warning, Sarge.

That said, I'd like to heartily reccomend "What the Universe Tells Me"!

[Sergeant Rock]

I think I'll pass on this. Thanks for the warning, Sarge.

That said, I'd like to heartily reccomend "What the Universe Tells Me"!

Yes, I would like to see that.

Sarge

[karlhenning]

I'd seen a few Ken Russell film biographies before: Savage Messiah, about the sculptor Henri Gaudier, and The Music Lovers, about Tchaikovsky. So I knew what to expect: liberties taken with the facts, over-the-top emotionalism, offensive images, sophomoric symbolism. In Mahler, Russell didn't disappoint those expections but carried them to an entirely new level. 

Parfois! Let Ken Russell be Ken Russell!!

[BachQ]

Released June 12, 2007



Release Date: 06/12/2007
Label:  Testament   Catalog #: 1406   Spars Code: n/a 
Composer:  Ludwig van Beethoven
Conductor:  Otto Klemperer
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Philharmonia Orchestra

Also releasing with Klemperer 1/8 4/5 Missa Solemnis

[BachQ]

Released 6/12
Recorded 1971



1.  Sonata for Piano no 8 in A minor, K 310 (300d) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Performer:  Emil Gilels (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1778; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 1971

2.  Variations (6) for Piano in F major on "Salve tu, Domine", K 398 (416e) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Performer:  Emil Gilels (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1783; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 1971

3.  Fantasia for Piano in D minor, K 397 (385g) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Performer:  Emil Gilels (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1782; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 1971

4.  Sonata for Piano no 21 in C major, Op. 53 "Waldstein" by Ludwig van Beethoven

Performer:  Emil Gilels (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1803-1804; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 1971

5.  Sonata for Piano no 28 in A major, Op. 101 by Ludwig van Beethoven

Performer:  Emil Gilels (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1816; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 1971

6.  Songs without words, vol 6, Op. 67: no 4, Presto in C major "Spinning Song" by Felix Mendelssohn

Performer:  Emil Gilels (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1845; Germany
Date of Recording: 1971

7.  Nachtstücke (4) for Piano, Op. 23 by Robert Schumann

Performer:  Emil Gilels (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1839; Germany
Date of Recording: 1971
 
8.  Songs without words: Excerpt(s) by Felix Mendelssohn

Performer:  Emil Gilels (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: Germany

[BachQ]

Released 6/12

[BachQ]

One of the clues to this Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle (acrostic) was:

COMPOSER WITH THE FINAL DYING WORDS: "Applaud, my friends, the comedy is over."

ANSWER: Beethoven

[George]

One of the clues to this Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle (acrostic) was:

COMPOSER WITH THE FINAL DYING WORDS: "Applaud, my friends, the comedy is over."

ANSWER: Beethoven

Cool. 

So I take it that portion of Immortal Beloved is historically accurate?

[BachQ]

So I take it that portion of Immortal Beloved is historically accurate?

Possibly.  At least there's some authority for the proposition! 

Needless to say, it's disputed as to (1) whether Beethoven said that; and (2) what it means.

[DetUudslukkelige]

Needless to say, it's disputed as to (1) whether Beethoven said that; and (2) what it means.

Strangely, a very similar quote was supposedly said by Caesar Augustus on his deathbed. I personally don't believe these romanticized views of people's final words, anyway, but if he really did say this, perhaps he drew some inspiration from Augustus?

[Haffner]

Possibly.  At least there's some authority for the proposition! 

Needless to say, it's disputed as to (1) whether Beethoven said that; and (2) what it means.

This quote seems about a historically verified as pretty much anything else LvB spoke. That is, it's generally considered to be true. The quote was made after his receiving of the last Rites, so many have questioned whether it referred to life itself, or Catholicism. The latter doesn't quite hold up as well as the former (though both are not without reference to his other quotes of the time)...it's hard to be convinced that Beethoven was too much of a lapsed Catholic when he publicly stated the Missa Solemnis was his best piece.  Even many Roman Catholics would argue for the 9th Symphony, Piano Concerto #5, or op. 131 as being his pinnacle. (You know which work this RC picks!)

I realize that the logic behind such an assertion is very faulty, and that's coming from a grievously biased person.

[not edward]

Just to muddy the waters a bit, I'm an atheist and think that the Missa solemnis is certainly his greatest work for large forces.

[Haffner]

Just to muddy the waters a bit, I'm an atheist and think that the Missa solemnis is certainly his greatest work for large forces.

The MS is by far my own favorite chorale work.

[M forever]

Strangely, a very similar quote was supposedly said by Caesar Augustus on his deathbed. I personally don't believe these romanticized views of people's final words, anyway, but if he really did say this, perhaps he drew some inspiration from Augustus?

I think you are right, many "last words" by famous people are very likely authored to sound good and somehow meaningful, and many of them are of very dubious authenticity or very obviously invented by someone else.

In Beethoven's case, his last words were recorded by Anton Schindler whose credibility is not always unquestionable either, but his account of Beethoven's final days appears to be very honest and realistic, brutally realistic even.

However, what Haffner said here has, in the best Catholic tradition, absolutely nothing to do with the recorded evidence, true or not.

According to which, Beethoven's last words were completely different, namely "Schade, schade, zu spät!"

[Haffner]

However, what Haffner said here has, in the best Catholic tradition, absolutely nothing to do with the recorded evidence, true or not.

Yes.