In Search of Beethoven

In Search of Beethoven is a 2009 British biographical documentary film written and directed by Phil Grabsky. The film features interviews with Emanuel Ax, Jonathan Biss, Riccardo Chailly, Alban Gerhardt, Hélène Grimaud, Janine Jansen, Roger Norrington, Ilona Schmiel, Lars Vogt, and Frans Brüggen with the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century (performing Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9).[2]

In Search of Beethoven
Directed byPhil Grabsky
Written byPhil Grabsky
Narrated byJuliet Stevenson
CinematographyPhil Grabsky
Edited byPhil Reynolds
Production
companies
Seventh Art Productions
Sky Arts
Distributed byAntidote Films
Release date
  • 10 July 2012 (2012-07-10)
Running time
129 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office$310,555[1]

Plot

The film explores Ludwig van Beethoven's life and his symphonies such as Symphony No. 3 (which he wanted to dedicate to Napoleon before the latter became the Emperor), Symphony No. 5, Symphony No. 9, Missa solemnis the Moonlight Sonata and his only opera, Fidelio.[3]

Reception

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 93% based on 41 critics, with an average rating of 7.1/10. The site's consensus reads: "With a wealth of insightful talking heads and deft musical performances, In Search of Beethoven is a thorough, thoughtful examination of the great composer's life and times".[4] On Metacritic, In Search of Beethoven holds a rank of 71 out of a 100 based on 8 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[5]

Andrew Pulver of The Guardian wrote "At such length and in such detail, there are certainly dramas to describe and insights to be had, but a film this static and self-important doesn't really do them justice".[6] Rob Humanick of Slant Magazine liked the fact that "After the monotonous guide through history that was In Search of Mozart, [the director]'s follow-up plays like a much-needed shot of adrenaline to the brain".[7]

Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times praised the documentarian Phil Grabsky, calling his work "a revelation to the uninitiated and a joy to music lovers".[8] The Boston Globe's Jeremy Eichler commented that "the story of its subject in a clear, accessible, and gimmick-free manner while still preserving, or perhaps even cultivating, a core sense of wonder at the creative monuments he bequeathed to us all".[9]

Evan Williams of The Australian criticized the film for "[having] too many snippets of music, too many talking heads, too little to define that great arc of the composer's life and spiritual development", adding that "no one who cares about the man and his music will miss it".[10] Neil Genzlinger of The New York Times criticized the film's length, but added that "[the] music soothes away a lot of complaints".[11]

Jonathan Lennie of Time Out wrote "Beethoven's painful insecurities and petty squabbles are deftly balanced with generous musical examples".[12]

According to Joe Leydon of Variety the "Pic strikes a deft balance between words and music, commentary and concertos".[13]

Not every critic was praising the director's work. Joshua Kosman of the San Francisco Chronicle cautioned that "In Search of Beethoven trudges through the composer's life and works, pausing along the way for the usual smorgasbord of talking heads and performance clips. [Resulting in] a shapeless, drab and mostly predictable [film]".[14]

Australia's Philippa Hawker of The Age said "Beethoven's creative life, with all its achievements, cannot easily be reconciled with the image of a difficult, solitary figure, shadowed by depression",[15] while Paul Byrnes of The Sydney Morning Herald wrote "As good as the film is, Beethoven remains mysterious".[16]

Release

In Search of Beethoven was released on DVD on 2 June 2010.[17]

References
  1. "In Search of Beethoven". The Numbers. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  2. French, Philip (18 April 2009). "In Search of Beethoven". The Guardian/The Observer. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  3. Groves, Don (14 October 2009). "In Search of Beethoven Review". SBS. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  4. "In Search of Beethoven". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  5. "In Search of Beethoven (2009)". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  6. Pulver, Andrew (16 April 2009). "In Search of Beethoven". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  7. Humanick, Rob (25 September 2009). "Review: In Search of Beethoven". Slant Magazine.
  8. Thomas, Kevin (2 October 2009). "The footsteps of a genius". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  9. Eichler, Jeremy (6 January 2010). "A Beethoven primer, with supporting star power". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  10. Williams, Evan. "Beethoven's unfinished sympathy". The Australian. Retrieved 28 October 2021. (subscription required)
  11. Genzlinger, Neil (22 September 2009). "A Look at a Revolutionary Composer". The New York Times. p. C6.
  12. Lennie, Jonathan (14 April 2009). "In Search of Beethoven". Time Out.
  13. Leydon, Joe (22 September 2009). "In Search of Beethoven". Variety.
  14. Kosman, Joshua (18 December 2009). "'In Search of Beethoven' falls flat". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  15. Hawker, Philippa (22 October 2009). "In Search Of Beethoven". The Age. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  16. Byrnes, Paul (22 October 2009). "In Search Of Beethoven". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  17. "In Search of Beethoven". Film Threat. 2 June 2010. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
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