Beethoven's Eroica - A film by Simon Cellan Jones - BBC 2003 (HD 1080p)

Faces of Classical Music
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(HD 1080p)

It is 9 June 1804. At the palace of Prince Lobkowitz, Beethoven is conducting the first performance of his Third Symphony, the Eroica. And through this film we attend the performance. Through the exchanges between the characters represented, their words but also their expressions, we are reminded of the complete novelty of this symphony: its length, its unusual accents, its intense emotion and, of course, the disrupted musical rules. During the interval, Beethoven takes the advantage to speak privately with Josephine von Deym. The romantic life of the master is then presented. Haydn has the last word. When speaking of the music, he concludes: "From today, everything is different". The camera moves through the orchestra, lingering on a detail, that we may participate in the music together with the musicians. The film is remarkably well made.

Eroica was directed by Simon Cellan Jones, and the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique is lead by John Elliot Gardiner. Ludwig van Beethoven is performed with spirit by Ian Hart. He rejoices, he becomes sad, he catches fire, casting looks - severe or rougish - and his anger all show a very endearing and appealing Beethoven. Leo Bill plays a Ferdinand Ries ill treated by his master. The women are played by Fenella Woolgar, as Princes Lobkowitz, Clair Skinner is Countess Brunswick and Lucy Ackhurst is Josephine von Deym. Jack Davenport is prince Lobkowitz and Frank Finlay is Joseph Haydn. Eroica was broadcast for the first time on Saturday 4th October at 21:15 on BBC2.

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Faces of Classical Music

[JK-trmt]

Love the ending. Haydn, everything is different from today. Some are swept away by the passion. The aristocrat is appalled. The horn player is knackered. The other wind instrumentalist is shocked, OMG, what have we just done?! Even Beethoven is in a bit of a shock. Thank you. And walks away....Got some more radical work to do! Fantastic!

[MichaelLevyMusic]

Seeing this symphony actually filmed as being performed on period instruments with musicians & audience in authentic period costumes really emphasises how strikingly FUTURISTIC it must have sounded at the time - what must they have thought of all that wonderful Stravinsky-style dissonance...in 1803!!

[TerryUniGeezerPeterson]

I feel sorry for the vast majority of the youth today who will likely never come to know, love and appreciate the colossal genius of not only Beethoven, but most of the great composers.

[huaraz]

Amazing details! gut strings tied up to the tailpiece, old fashion bows, no cello stands, held with the legs, wooden flutes, no valves in any winds. A very free glimpse of real Beethoven. Haydn's part is superb. Eroica enhanced music to unknown levels for those days.

[TerryUniGeezerPeterson]

Eroica was composed 218 years ago, (1803-2021) and is as powerful today as ever, if not more so.

[christopherthorpe]

I love how the two guys are saying music is to dance or to pray to yet everyone in that room is feeling something because of the music. That's what music is about!

[malcolmabram]

17:33 "Punch every accemt." Yes that is the Beethoven beat, and they have got it here in this performance. Bravo.

[mandydholzer]

The greatest musician who ever drew breath and walked the earth

[curtisparker]

The BBC at its best. I remember seeing this production at its showing on tv and I am so glad to have found it again. It is still a brilliant piece of tv.

[tchuncly]

This film actually does a very good job in illustrating just how innovative and groundbreaking this symphony was. It starts by showing a Mozart piece to contrast with what we are about to hear, and it shows Beethoven, when arriving, smiling as if thinking "Keep expecting this, you'll see what you'll get...". And throughout the entire performance that's what we see quite explicitly, people in the room EXPECTING the music to go in one direction and then get baffled when it doesn't.
The political side was also very well highlighted, with the character of Count Dietrichstein portraying the old reactionary nobility, contrasted with the new revolutionary mood sweeping Europe from France and represented musically in Beethoven's piece. No wonder he hates it: he sees in it the downfall of his way of life, of his status.
Also the scene where Beethoven couldn't marry his beloved because of mere nobility status serves to show the conflict between this old society and the new one emerging in France and which Beethoven so much admired, as well as providing a background for why "unprivileged people"/"commoners" would admire it.

As for the criticisms on the portrayal of Beethoven's character, and that he probably wouldn't argue with nobles so explicitly, I see it as an artifact of the film to display its message, to make this contrast between so disparate viewpoints, and at the same time to show Beethoven's perspective on the political conflicts of the time. If the movie would avoid showing these dialogs simply because they wouldn't have occurred in reality, that'd be a mistake.

[paoloantunes]

Probably the most powerful piece of music ever written and the most revolutionary work of art in history - everything is different from today.

[lvbdevinelove]

The musicians in prince lobkowitz's palace might be the best sight readers that ever lived

[MrAlcides]

Every movie about The MASTER will be interesting. His life was plenty of great moments, so we can appreciate the books, documentaries and films that show us how Giant this GENIUS was for the entire world!

[malcolmabram]

The Eroica is the finest classical symphony written. It never loses interest, there is always something extra to find, and it has supreme balance and creativity of theme which move smooth smoothly from one theme to the other.

[BuergerPT]

An absolutely brilliant film. We got not only hear one of the greatest pieces of music ever written, but watch people as they responded to it while the drama of parts of Beethoven's life is played out between and during the pieces. Just excellent.

[theme]

40:45 I love his face here. He doesn’t want to like it because he feels threatened by it being new and what it represents, but he can’t deny he’s listening to something spectacular

[michellecostea]

Thank so much, such a beautiful portrayal of Bethoven's character and music. Too bad this generation have no idea what they're missing on.

[nicolaaslouw]

The greatest genius who ever lived, or shall ever live.

[ninjaatilly]

Have watched it so many times and never get bored of it. I'm currently studying this piece for my A2 German exams- honestly one of the best and most revolutionary symphonies written!

[iracema]

Just brilliant. “Everything is different from today”