Beethoven: Eroica [DVD] [2003]

Released in 2003 this BBC production concentrates almost entirely around Beethoven's conducting of the first performance (at the Lobkowitz Palace, Vienna, on June 9th 1804) of his now famous 3rd Symphony (which was later given the name `Eroica', meaning `heroic').

The significance of this symphony has been well documented, being credited as a milestone in musical history for several reasons. It's around twice as long as symphonies of the time, and covers a far broader range of emotional themes throughout its movements than was generally conveyed by symphonic music of this period. The work is widely attributed as being responsible for changing the style of music from the compositional restraints of the Classical period and heralding the start of the more freely emotional music of the Romantic era.

The film is concerned mainly with the comments and conversations which take place between the guests invited to this special performance. The film generally succeeds in conveying the intense emotional atmosphere surrounding the players and audience, and works hard at emphasising the ground breaking importance of this event. The dialogue is English, which makes easier viewing than subtitles, but some of the script could have been a little more authentic. Phrases such as `it doesn't work like that' are distinctly not of the 1800 period.

The film has some great lighter moments, such as the hilarious and embarrassing chastising of Beethoven's hapless assistant Ferdinand Ries (played by Leo Bill) when he dares suggest the horn player made a mistake. This event is well documented in the history books:

I [Ries] was standing next to Beethoven and, thinking it was wrong, I said, 'That damned horn player! Can't he count properly? It sounds frightfully wrong!' I believe I was in danger of getting my ears boxed. Beethoven did not forgive me for a long time." (From:Biographische Notizen über Beethoven, F. Wegeler and F. Ries, 1838).

The romantic side of Beethoven is shown during the interval, when he speaks with Josephine von Deym (Lucy Ackhurst) and the story of their romance that could never be. It's a touching and sad moment, acted with great conviction.

The best moment for me however comes after the orchestra makes several nervous and shambolic false starts to the 1st movement of the symphony. Beethoven (Ian Hart) loses his patience and demands that the music be played so that it sounds `urgent'. The subsequent restart is stunningly performed, and reproduced in full surround sound, by the Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique (lead by John Eliot Gardiner). It's one of my favourite versions of Beethoven's Eroica symphony, and as a bonus is included in its entirety as a DVD extra, although unfortunately as sound-only rather than audiovisual.

The film is nicely summed up by Joseph Haydn (played by Frank Finlay) with his famous comment: `From today, everything is different'

Great entertainment, a bit of a history lesson, and a truly brilliant performance of Beethoven's 3rd symphony.

When I was a child, my father - who could not read music but loved it - used to tell me the basics of musical history, including how the Eroica ushered Romantic times into symphonic music. Having seen this film on TV, I decided to purchase the DVD, and I am very happy to have done so.

I agree with SOME of the criticisms by Nicholas Casley: everything is SO English, especially the acting! And certainly this is a product for the classical-music lover.

However the important matter for me is the performance. This recording by Gardiner and his orchestra is the best I have ever heard. It is indeed a bit too good for a first reading at the time, though I can hear a few very authentic mistuning of a double-bass and others. Most importantly, the reproduction of a performance in Beethoven's time is incredibly accurate, down to the role of conductor and leader, scarcity of vibratos in wind instruments and many other matters of historical instrument sound, speed, balance and phrasing. These are not just details, but an important part of the work as conceived by Beethoven: they make the work sound much more coherent, convincing and moving.

I take note of the discrepancies Casley finds between sound, orchestra and venue. Nevertheless, I find this the most careful and beautiful reproduction so far of how Beethoven wished to hear his Eroica: close your eyes and you are literally there and then. Well done Gardiner and the Orchestre! The drama around the performance adds interesting historical and personal inputs to this vision of a masterwork that indeed changed the history of music.

I don't think one should be too critical about historical accuracy when looking at this sort of reconstruction. Of course, it is pretty unlikely that even the best orchestra of the day (and even today!) could have played this difficult score at sight. But then, this film is all about the revolutionary nature of the music and the effect it had on the people of the day when Beethoven first produced it. And in this I think it does very well indeed, with the traditionalists horrified, the radicals gratified and 'papa' Haydn saying, 'everything changes from now on!' The period settings are excellent and convincing, you get a really caught up in the performance of the symphony which is superb. Above all, the portrait of Beethoven seems to be pretty accurate from what we know about him from his contemporaries. So don't sit there and nit-pick - just sit back and enjoy this very well made film. Essential for any lover of Beethoven.