COPYING BEETHOVEN

US, 2006, 104 minutes, Colour.
Ed Harris, Diane Kruger, Matthew Goode, Phyllida Law, Joe Anderson, Nicholas Jones.
Directed by Agnieszka Holland.

Copying Beethoven has not received good reviews and has found limited release. It probably works better for an undemanding audience rather than discriminating music aficionados. (A previous Beethoven film with Gary Oldman in the title role and focussing on his younger years was called Immortal Beloved.)

A word of praise should be given to the production, set and costume design. We are immersed in the early 19th century. Hungarian locations and theatres stand in for Vienna.

A word of praise also for the use of Beethoven’s music, some of it in the background but attention given to the 9th Symphony with a quite long section of the film devoted to a recital. His Grosse Fugue is also featured – the composition that drove out the audience which had cheered the 9th.

Part of the difficulty is the screenplay which mixes an old style of language with more contemporary phrases. The inconsistency does not work well. Perhaps it tries to make Beethoven a contemporary type, but… On the other hand, there are a number of speeches put into Beethoven’s mouth about his understanding and criticism of God but also about his sense of vocation, hearing the voice of God and his music being the expression of God.

Ed Harris, Beethoven wig and all, suffers also from the contemporary/historical inconsistency. At this stage of his life, in his 50s and three years before his death, he is an arrogantly irascible genius. He has come to terms with his deafness, can read lips and sense vibrations. But, in his head (and, as he insists, in his gut), there is a vitality of sound, of melody, rhythms and extraordinary orchestrations.

Diane Kruger is charmingly strong as Anna Holtz, a fictitious character based on actual people, who is his young copyist who breaks through some of Beethoven’s chauvinist presuppositions. She copies, even corrects his manuscripts and, although he initially mocked her composition, she works on her own music with him. Her life is complicated by her love for a young engineer (Matthew Goode) whose model bridge Beethoven publicly smashes because it lacks imagination and inspiration.

The film gives the audience images of the period and of Beethoven’s life – and also the context for his music and creativity.

1.Audience interest in music? Beethoven? The developments of the 19th century?

2.The location photography, Hungary standing in for Vienna? The interiors, the apartment, theatre? The exteriors, the streets?

3.The use of Beethoven’s music, as background, the rehearsals and the performance of the Ninth Symphony, the Fugue, the other sonatas and pieces?

4.Music as a means of understanding Beethoven? His imagination, his sense of vocation, creativity?

5.The credits and Anna travelling to Beethoven’s bedside? His dying? The flashbacks to her being young, going to Vienna for the job, her talent, copying, composing? Meeting Beethoven? The encounter with Schlemmer and Beethoven berating him? Beethoven’s treatment of her, his sardonic comments about a woman and composing and copying, her work, his change, her effect on his work? Her being left to copy, Beethoven in the inn, his friends, bringing home the salmon for her to eat? Her going to the convent?

6.The character of Anna, the background of her father, going to her aunt at the convent, her Catholicism and being devout, strict life, her love for Martin? His career, the planning of the bridge?

7.Beethoven as a character, his age, deafness and experience, asking people to repeat, reading their lips, the metal hood to get the vibrations? The film going inside his mind? Portraying his work, writing the notes? Playing the violin? Vibrations and a sense of rhythm? His speeches and talk of God, his questioning God, saying that he was the voice of God, God as inspiration? Vocation, not beholden to patronage? The attitude of high society in Vienna towards him? His gap between symphonies and his being disregarded?

8.The comeback, the Ninth Symphony, getting ready, Schlemmer and his anxiety, his illness? Karl and the background of his story, Beethoven doting on him, Karl and his lack of talent, not wanting to help his uncle? His anger? Anna, Beethoven appealing to her, her standing with the musicians, directing? The long sequence of the symphony? Beethoven’s feelings, Anna’s feelings, the musicians, the singers? Anna turning him round at the end to receive the applause?

9.Anna and her work, her discussions with Beethoven, tidying his room, the encounter with Karl, her love for Martin, his getting her the best seat at the concert? His display, the bridge, her support, Beethoven’s arrival, his bashing the bridge, his explaining that it was to save Martin’s soul? His playing her work, mocking it, her dismay?

10.His apology, on his knees, the invitation for them to work together? His wanting to change music? The performance of the Fugue, everybody walking out?

11.An insight into Beethoven’s character, his friends, patrons? Beethoven’s achievement in the development of music?