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Description
"Was it a mere accident of dates that leads to the study of Beethoven in a course on the Age of Revolutions? Dr. Alan Tyson here attempts to answer this question and shows where the correspond...ences lie between Beethoven and his time. The talk covers Beethoven's attitude to Napoleon and his treatment of the revolutionary theme in his only opera, "Fidelio". It deals with Beethoven's ambivalent attitude to the aristocracy, for whom he worked and among whom he found his closest friends. But, according to Dr. Tyson, what was most significant was the change in the status of the musical artist which Beethoven cultivated. He would not tolerate the role of court servant producing compositions or performances to order; he became "the prototype of the romantic artist, neglecting the world and prepared to starve in a garret for the sake of his art". The programme is illustrated with extracts from the Missa Solemnis and the Choral Symphony."
"Was it a mere accident of dates that leads to the study of Beethoven in a course on the Age of Revolutions? Dr. Alan Tyson here attempts to answer this question and shows where the correspond...ences lie between Beethoven and his time. The talk covers Beethoven's attitude to Napoleon and his treatment of the revolutionary theme in his only opera, "Fidelio". It deals with Beethoven's ambivalent attitude to the aristocracy, for whom he worked and among whom he found his closest friends. But, according to Dr. Tyson, what was most significant was the change in the status of the musical artist which Beethoven cultivated. He would not tolerate the role of court servant producing compositions or performances to order; he became "the prototype of the romantic artist, neglecting the world and prepared to starve in a garret for the sake of his art". The programme is illustrated with extracts from the Missa Solemnis and the Choral Symphony."
| Module code and title: | A202, The age of revolutions |
|---|---|
| Item code: | A202; 25 |
| Recording date: | 1971-06-20 |
| First transmission date: | 15-07-1972 |
| Published: | 1972 |
| Rights Statement: | Rights owned or controlled by The Open University |
| Restrictions on use: | This material can be used in accordance with The Open University conditions of use. A link to the conditions can be found at the bottom of all OUDA web pages. |
| Duration: | 00:18:40 |
| + Show more... | |
| Producer: | Richard Callanan |
| Contributor: | Alan Tyson |
| Publisher: | BBC Open University |
| Keyword(s): | Missa Solemnis; Opera "Fidelio" |
| Master spool number: | TLN25FM180J |
| Production number: | TLN25FM180J |
| Available to public: | no |
