Reviews for A night in at the opera

The average rating for A night in at the opera based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2012-12-31 00:00:00 William L. Kellerman Geniuses amongst us don't really live here; their minds soar high, reaching out to other spheres… In the first scenes of the movie of Bernard Rose "Immortal Love" (dedicated to Beethoven) we may witness greedy and inquisitive people wondering about the genius' estate and legacy. Beethoven's brother holds the master's will stating: "my brothers the heirs of my fortune"; yet, Herr Schindler, a friend of Beethoven, has just discovered a letter of Beethoven addressed to "my angel..."all my music and estate shall go to my sole heir "; "she", the "immortal beloved". The movie also depicts the funeral of Beethoven and the praising words, but also the negative side of his existence: "he lived alone", "withdrawn from his fellowmen".…for some viewed as "hostile". Who was she? Well, the movie will hint, tell, disclose bit by bit, starting with an "illegible" signature… by "she". The point is that Beethoven's brother may be plainly right: "we have his music"… though he seems resigned. I agree with him: Beethoven's has left his very best (his music) to us all, to cherish…at the cost of a click or two,... now in the 21st century. Now Berlioz'. The composer had a prolific musical commentary/critics life. This book is just an assembly of several essays on music, maybe the main ones approaching the 9 symphonies of Beethoven. But before the symphonies, there's an essay on "What's music" , very pertinent, though polemic. To Berlioz, music is not something for everybody, but it requires both "knowledge" and "feeling"…to be truly appreciated. Not really a democratic guy, you may think. The essay approaches several of the effects music may have on the listener; Berlioz mentions a Danish king who murdered his servants after hearing a musical piece. Berlioz says about himself:"I feel a delicious pleasure with which reason has no connection". Truly, music is addressed to emotion. Next, the essay discusses the question of whether HARMONY was known by the ancients (primarily by the Greeks). According to the author there's enough evidence for a "yes" . Regarding oriental music, Berlioz is short:"we have nothing". Sadly. Some lines are dedicated to the enunciation of the 8 prevalent modes of action of "modern" music (harmony, modulation, rhythm...) ,yet (good anticipation!) the author admitted, in the future, other modes (check on atonal music!) would show up. Beethoven's next. Without being technical ,and Berlioz gets into it, I will enumerate each of the symphonies, with a short commentary, obviously mixing my view with Berlioz'. Symphony n.er 1 in C major The main point is that "this is not Beethoven", yet. Berlioz sees in it a strong influence of Mozart. It's a piece marked by "sobriety of harmony and instrumentation". Symphony n.er 2 in D "All noble, energetic and stately". I like the "energetic", because it's a hallmark for life in Beethoven's work. Symphony n.er 3 in E flat, The "Eroica". It's a well known fact: for some time Beethoven was an admirer of Napoleon, he wanted that symphony to be dedicated to the French ruler; yet, things changed, and the symphony just became a "memory of a great man"; sort of "funeral rites". Berlioz has found in it "a remarkable rhythm…and rude dissonances" (that evoke "fear")"; voices of "despair" and "rage". Some papers of the time were harsh:"the choral symphony of Beethoven is a monstrosity"…"and incoherent work". Well, by this time Beethoven's deafness had started to ensue. The symphony is long, much the beauty of it yet issues from this "struggle …(via dissonances)… and affirmation". Symphony n.er 4 in B flat I "see" it as a "somber introit". Berlioz concludes Beethoven had abandoned "elegy and ode", and went back to the 2nd symphony "style"; "saw" in it "furious and foaming waterfalls" .The second movement is plentiful of "joy". I "see" in it "a locomotive" rush. Symphony n.er 5 in C minor To Berlioz, it's the "most celebrated" of all . Of course I disagree (let's wait for the 9th!). Berlioz sees it as truly "Beethovean". Imagination has got free rein; Beethoven was a Homer reader; paraphrasing Horace: "nocturna versate manu versate diurna". I "see" in it moments of great "sweetness"…and "horse-ride" moments. Symphony n.er 6 in F; The "Pastoral". Quite appropriately Berlioz saw in it a "landscape" of Poussin and Michael Angelo. A piece describing the "calm" of the country side, with moments of contemplation, the reproduction of the birds songs…Nature in all its magnificence; man only sometimes intervenes. Berlioz viewed the piece as going far beyond the limits of poetry; so he wrote: "you are conquered great poets". Symphony n.er 7 in A. The piece has got four movements….much celebrated for its "alegrato". Berlioz doubts about the "7th "; implying it's the "mere order of publication", and not a great development occurring. Nevertheless he "sees" "phrases of" "freshness and coquetry", much opposed to the "cavalier-spirit" of Gluck's theme…in the "finale". Symphony n.er 8 in F. Some commented that by this time Beethoven was in search for the cure of his deafness, a very turbulent time for the master, yet with some optimism regarding his romantic life (the "immortal love"). Berlioz commented: it´s "all curious and …sparkles with life", …but "modulating in the expected manner". Symphony n.er 9 in D, "the Coral". Obviously, my preferred one. Deafness was almost absolute,and yet he made it.Berlioz recognized the virtuosity of the "junction of vocal and instrumental forces"…the "most magnificent expression of B. genius". Yet by his time some considered it a "monstrous folly". Berlioz acknowledged: "analysis is difficult"…and "dangerous". He saw in the piece: "increasing pomp and grandeur and éclat"; I fully agree. As to the lyrics, it's based on Schiller's "Ode to joy". At some moment the music transforms that joy : "joy is now religious, grave and immense"; again, way beyond poetry. But the words are eternally powerful: "…as the suns revolve in the vast heavenly expense, so brethren, follow your way full of joy, like the hero who marches to victory…. Ah. There's a final essay entitled "Beethoven in the ring of Saturn". I can only return to my introductory phrase…and complete it: … >"Their minds soar high, reaching to other spheres…":… Mozart lives in Jupiter…Beethoven in Saturn. Better: in one of Saturn's ring. "Superior worlds". Heavenly spheres." AH!! Music for all: check on how the earthlings react to the tunes of B; the elder, the young, the children: how do they react; …nearly 200 years on, I would say it's in our genes, it's a world legacy,…. world-liked,...loved. Amazing how the lonesome man makes people (of Sabadell, Catalonia, Spain) come together, almost as if brothers,....and sisters.

Review # 2 was written on 2017-02-22 00:00:00 Annette Scarlett Not necessarily great as an intro to Beethoven's symphonies - more like short reviews. But Berlioz is a great and opinionated writer. Especially worth the price of admission when he describes the effect music has on him and why classical music is the greatest music ever.