Guy Cooper
IMMORTAL BELOVED.
The current Beethoven biopic is a slice of cornball heaven, but for all its cheesiness it never mistreats the music. A glittering cast (Conductor Sir Georg Solti, Murray Perahia, Yo-Yo Ma) produced original recordings for the soundtrack; the scenes were cut to match the rhythms and melodic arcs of the scores. But there’s a hitch. While ““Immortal Beloved’’ respected Beethoven, the soundtrack album (No. 68 on the Billboard chart) doesn’t – because the chunks of symphonies and sonatas don’t make sense for just listening. It’s the greatest hits of greatest hits, a starter kit for novice fans – but mostly, it’s merchandising.
Malcolm Jones Jr.
