Immortal Beloved / Sir Georg Solti (film 1994) [SOUNDTRACK]

Ludwig van Beethoven (Artist), Georg Solti (Artist), Renée Fleming (Artist), Yo-Yo Ma (Artist), Murray Perahia (Artist), Emanuel Ax (Artist), Pamela Frank (Artist), Thomas Frost (Artist), Gidon Kremer (Artist), Vinson Cole (Artist), London Symphony Orchestra (Artist), London Voices (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 6, 1994)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000002AQD
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #18,772 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent soundtrack for a wonderful film, October 2, 2003

By	"surferblue" (Singapore) - See all my reviews

I actually bought the soundtrack first before watching the movie, because I happen to find it in my local Borders store. This CD has been constantly occupying my walkman and my stereo. I find it absolutely refreshing and relaxing just listening to this CD while taking public transport, as well as in my room chilling out. Yes, Beethoven has never sounded better. I am at the present moment collecting versions of Beethoven's Symphony No. 7, No. 9 and the "Emperor Piano Concerto", and i have to say that those three excerpt recordings in this CD are one of the best around. It's a pity that Sir Georg Solti and Murray Perahia did not give us complete recorded movements, or even the whole work itself, as this CD is but a soundtrack. Nevertheless, the rest of the tracks are also fantastic and wonderfully recorded, featuring artists like Yo-Yo Ma, Emmanuel Ax, Pamela Frank and Renee Fleming. Sound quality is excellent, a great job well done by Sony records.

This CD deserves the 5-star rating that it has received and will be receiving from me, an excellent selection of the most powerful, heartwrenching, peaceful, exhilirating and glorious works ever written by the one composer: Ludwig van Beethoven.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beethoven's Spirit Lives On, September 1, 2002

By	Carlos Avila (Hollywood) - See all my reviews

As Amadeus praised and popularized the music of Mozart, which triggered a cd chalk-full of his greatest moments, Immortal Beloved has created a cd which captures the very spirit of Beethoven. He is long dead, but we hear his soul speak again to us through his music. The film, starring Oldman and Rossalini, centered on the mysterious love letter Beethoven wrote at the end of his life, to an "Immortal Beloved", whose love he carried with him throughout his life. This woman is either one of three women Beethoven was involved with, a widowed Countess of great fortune, a pupil of his and his brother's own wife, the blonde beauty he had loved in his youth. Only if you saw the movie do you know who this Immortal Beloved was, but the music set to the film, all works by Beethoven, capture not only the romance, but the genius, intensity, even pain that Beethoven experienced throughout his life. As a result of his deafness, he was only able to hear music in his head, music which we have come to know and love, works like his Ninth Symphony, a powerful, dynamic choral symphony that evokes liberty and universal love, the Eroica Symphony which he had written in honor for Napoleon until he discovered "he made himself an enemy to all " by crowning himself Emperor, the Moonlgiht Sonata which rumor has it he meant to musically describe what the moon looked like to an old blind woman, the Allegretto of his Seventh Symphony has an airy, somber and majestic beauty that fills us. The Kyrie of his Requiem is masterfully performed here by choral singers, including opera star Renee Fleming. The piano and violin pieces, Ghost Trio and Kreutzer Sonata, are all brilliantly performed by violinist extraordinare Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Emmanuel Ax. The music is a must have for all Beethoven fans, and I mean all. If you are a true Beethoven afficionado, this cd will become your trophy. Enjoy and listen to the music of a man whose genius touches us to this day

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perahia and Solti reinvent Beethoven, March 12, 2001

By	"bellavoce" (USA) - See all my reviews

It is a shame that this project was for a soundtrack, and not full productions of the glorious works highlighted on it. The majority of the tracks are outstanding, played by such masters as Emanuel Ax and Yo-Yo Ma.

However, Sir Georg Solti and Murray Perahia get the gold. Solti's brilliant, vivid readings of the movements from select Beethoven symphonies are nothing short of inspired. Perahia's exquisite taste and touch on the piano has no rival. And when the two men team up to play two movements from the "Emperor" concerto together... well, let's just say that they are playing *Beethoven*, and not merely his music. The music jumps to life under their capable hands as they draw out colors and textures never before heard in this work. The second movement, especially, is unsurpassed in its beauty.

In short, whether or not you are a classical music fan, or whether or not you saw or liked the movie, not to buy this CD is to pass up on the experience of a lifetime.