Ludwig van (full title: Ludwig van: A report; German: Ludwig van: ein Bericht) is a black-and-white German film by Mauricio Kagel. Filmed in 1969, it was first screened the following year.[1] The work was commissioned by Westdeutscher Rundfunk for the bicentennial celebrations of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven in 1970.[2] The film examines the reception of the composer and his works and how he has become a consumer product of the culture industry.[3][4] The soundtrack is an arrangement of fragments of Beethoven's works, modified as if heard by the deaf composer himself; it is distinct from Kagel's 1970 composition Ludwig van.[1][4] Prominent contemporary artists including Dieter Roth, Stefan Wewerka (de), Robert Filliou, and Joseph Beuys were involved in the design.[2] According to Gramophone, "at first it’s a laugh a minute ... then Kagel's film turns dark".[5]
- ^ a b Szendy, Peter (2008). Listen: A History of Our Ears. Fordham University Press. pp. 137–140. ISBN 978-0-823-22800-3.
- ^ a b "Ludwig van A Report by Mauricio Kagel (Germany 1970)". Berlin Philharmonic. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
- ^ Jack, Adrian (19 September 2008). "Mauricio Kagel". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
- ^ a b Nikolaos, Stavlas (2012). Reconstructing Beethoven: Mauricio Kagel's Ludwig van (PDF) (PhD thesis). Goldsmiths, University of London. pp. 46–88.
- ^ Clark, Philip (5 September 2011). "Ludwig van – Beethoven's legacy 200 years on…". Gramophone. Retrieved 24 July 2012.