I’ve just returned from seeing the movie Knowing, staring Nicolas Cage, which I felt was a fairly good (although depressing) film. I’m writing now, however, because I have never, and I mean never heard the Second Movement from Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony slaughtered as it was by the Sydney Studio Orchestra when it was played during at least two scenes in the movie. Without question, this movement is one of the all-time greatest pieces in the entire classical music repertoire and should be very familiar to anyone who is even remotely knowledgeable about music: its sublime, solemn, and absolute pure beauty. As I just walked in the door, I’ve got to admit that I have to listen to REAL recordings of it as the performance in the movie was ghastly (and that’s an understatement).
The performance was so horrible that I thought I’d see if anyone else had yet commented on it and, to my chagrin, I couldn’t find any reviews by real musicians, or even by genuine music aficionados. About all I could discover were assinine comments about the “famous funeral march” from Beethoven’s Seventh (sorry folks, but the 2nd movement ain’t no “funeral march”) – just how ignorant has the world become? One of the all-time great pieces of music is slaughtered, folks then refer to it as “funeral march,” and no one notices? Oh well, these are the same type of people who might think that the Mona Lisa on velvet would look great. 🙂
While Beethoven may not have intended this movement as a funeral march, that is what it has become. Accept it as such.
A church organist
Flushong, NY
Just because an ignorant public is unable to hear what is contained in a great piece of music is no excuse to trivialize and redefine one of the greatest works of art ever created. At least you agree that Beethoven never intended the piece as funeral march; indeed, the movement is marked Allegretto which, as any musician knows, is a moderately fast piece of music. The current Oxford Dictionary of Music (which is also consistent with much older edition) defines the term as:
The Harvard Dictionary of Music (2003) provides the following definition:
By definition, a “funeral march” is the very antithesis of “quick, lively, mirthful, and cheerful” piece of music. Rendetions by any competent interpreter of Beethoven performs the piece as such thereby allowing audiences to experience the graunder and overwhelming hope and joy that is found in this piece. Only the most ignorant of audiences would fail to hear what is contained in the music – as long as it is performed by masterful musicians. If they really want to hear “funeral marches” and other music about “death” (which, of course, include many wonderful and powerful works), they should listen to them. A few examples – the Requiems by great composers (esp., Mozart, Verdi, or Brahms) or a few works by Berlioz : Symphony Funèbre et Triomphale, Op. 15 or Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14, Movement 4, March to the Scaffold, for starters. If they want to hear a real Beethoven “funeral march” then perhaps they should listen to the Beethoven’s Symphony #3 In E Flat, Op. 55, “Eroica”, 3rd Movement.
Of course, it would be remiss to ignore one of the arguably most famous “funeral marches” of all time – Chopin’s Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35, 3rd Movement (“Funeral March”).
It does the public a great injustice to listen to a hideous “interpretation,” such as the one in the movie, then naively misrepresent it as something which it is not – this only solidifies ignorant other listeners’ inability to really hear what is contained (and meant to be heard) in the music. Audiences must be educated to HEAR what is in music, not to redefine a great work because they don’t comprehend what they’re experiencing.