Review of Beethoven - Symphonies 1, 6, and 8 / Claudio Abbado, Berlin Philharmonic (2001)

These interpretations are a solid balace of Romanticism and modern aesthetics concerning Beethoven.One measure of my Beethoven (if you'll forgive the personal reference) is whether or not in the 6th the flute is free and flying or muffled amid chaos.The BPO balance it beautifully.This is Beethoven at its best; however...

I am working on getting my 3rd DVD of this, the result of skips and stops that appear no matter if their played on PC or DVD player.Amazon has indicated that others are experiencing the same problem, so I would advise that this not be purchased from a source that would hesitate to offer a refund/exchange.



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Review of Itzhak Perlman: Beethoven/Brahms Violin Concertos (2005)

A fabulous DVD!

This disc features Itzhak Perlman* playing two of the worlds most famous violin concertos. ( Beethoven and Brahms). They have been recorded in 1992 at the Schauspielhaus in Berlin with Daniel Barenboim conducting the Berlin Philharmonic.

There are so many things to like about this DVD... to mention a few

-the audio is simply superb. I'm fortunate enough to have a fairly good sound system and I must say that the audio on this DVD is by far the best I've heard when playing either of these two concertos. The basses are deep and rich and the orchestral passages have a real sense of presence and fullness. Obviously, the acoustics of the theater, along with the sound engineering has resulted in a superior product.

-the video was generally well done; the lighting, camera angles and switching were performed, with a couple of minor exceptions, with skillful timing and good effect.

-the Beethoven is played with smoothness and grace; the grandeur of the opening bars has always been one of my favorite musical passages. The cadenza is played with skill and technique that Mr. Perlman has become famous for.

-the Brahms, to me, is the best I've ever heard and it is different, wonderfully different. The first movement, at times, is played with a sense of primordial passion and well....almost aggression by Mr. Perlman. The notes are seemingly ripped off the instrument with sense of urgency and power. The second movement is the antithesis of the first, played with a quiet sensitivity and beauty that would allow you to hear a pin drop in the audience during one of the brief lulls in the music. The third movement showed unabridged joy and happiness as it pulsed on toward its conclusion.

The only niggling feature (from a strictly video point of view) on the entire DVD was perhaps Daniel Barenboim's conducting style; he appeared very stiff on the podium, almost marionette-like at times.

All in all, an opportunity to add another masterpiece to one's classical library. Highly recommended!

*Mr Perlman plays the Soil Stradivarius (pronounced 'shwah') made in 1714; many consider it to be the finest Strad ever made.



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Review of Beethoven, Mozart & Brahms Piano Concertos (2005)

Maurizio Pollini, Jascha Heifetz and Herbert von Karajan are united by some of the strangest criticisms ever lobbed at artists of their stature: they are too good, too cool, too perfect, too detached, too brilliant, too remote und so weiter. Presumably, perfection is to be striven for but never achieved! George Bernard Shaw once suggested that Heifetz deliberately flub notes occasionally to prove his humanity. I assume Heifetz's eventual demise was proof enough of his mortality, even for Mr. Shaw! Yes, Pollini is a Pianist of remarkable brilliance. But he is hardly remote. And if he doesn't linger over every note with exagerated rubato, tears sloshing over the keys of his Steinway, he does something even more effective. He plays the notes as written! With passion, fire and intelligence. And this two DVD set is all the evidence you'll need.

The first disc presents Beethoven's Third and Fifth Piano Concertos with Mr. Pollini accompanied by the fabulous Vienna Philharmonic under the baton of Karl Bohm. These performances are tight; the VPO sounding gorgeously lush, silky and burnished like a Victorian library with oak-paneled walls and plush velvet chairs. Their sound is unique, attributed to the age and hand-made quality of their instruments. Karl Bohm's funky Landler persona and Maurizio Pollini's Italianate and aristocratic playing are a fascinating mix. They give the Beethoven Concertos a mixture of serenity and power so appealing that I replayed the disc immediately. These performances all date from the late 1970's so Pollini adds some youthful bravado to his interpretation.

The second disc features Mozart's Piano Concertos Nos. 19 and 23. If you know these works, you probably love them as much as I do. These are the only Mozart Concertos Pollini has commited to disc thus far; their rarity heightens the sense of occasion one feels. The VPO under Bohm have these works in their bones, so perfect do they sound! Pollini plays them elegantly, with precision and grace. The crystal clarity of the DTS 5.1 sound highlights the beauty of the woodwinds in these lovely instrumental Operas. I replayed them immediately, as well.

The last work on Disc 2 is the Brahms four movement Second Piano Concerto, conducted by Claudio Abbado. This darkly Romantic masterpiece is given a passionate reading, fiery yet lyrical. Less autumnal than most, it is here that the mixture of Italy and Austria is most evident. The melodic lines are long and song-like; less melodrama than one hears under Von Karajan, for example. Pollini attacks the keys and by the work's conclusion is sweat-soaked. Hardly a lack of passion, if judged strictly on visual evidence! A fine performance of a truly magnificent Concerto.

If replaying DVD's is an indication of how a performance has inhabited one's soul, then this two DVD set has erected a condo in mine! Definitely a self-recommending release. If you respond to superbly aristocratic and (yes) passionate Piano playing, you will probably treasure it as I do. My strong recommendation for an important DVD set from Maurizio Pollini, the Vienna Philharmonic, Karl Bohm, Claudio Abbado and DGG.



Product Description
• A terrific collection of five great piano concertos performed by Maurizio Pollini, one of the 20th centuries great virtuosos. • Filmed with the Vienna Philharmonic in the 1970s at the beautiful Musikverein in Vienna. • Karl Böhm conducts the Beethoven and Mozart concertos, while Claudio Abbado reads the Brahms.

TRACK LIST DVD1: Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3, op 37 Piano Concerto No. 5, op 73 "Emperor" Vienna Philharmonic Karl Böhm, conductor DVD2: Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 19, KV 459 Piano Concerto No. 23, KV 488 Vienna Philharmonic Karl Böhm, conductor

Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, op. 83 Vienna Philharmonic Claudio Abbado, conductor

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Review of Beethoven (1992) [VHS] (1992)

BeethovenDVD

Beethoven is a comedy about a family with a Saint Bernard dog and all the trouble the dog gets in to.A laugh-a-minute.

Highly recommended for the entire family, especially dog lovers.

GunnerApril, 2008




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Review of Ode to Freedom: Symphony No. 9 (1989)

For those who have been dying to own a video-recording of Leonard Bernstein conducting Beethoven's Ninth Symphony commemorating the fall of the Berlin Wall, the wait - and all this torture and frustration we had in the past - is finally over...

For the first time on DVD, we can watch this legendary and moving concert at our own homes. We no longer have the excuse of not being able to relive this event because of limited production of video tapes and worse yet, LASER DISCS. We may have seen snippets of it in documentaries and such, but say goodbye to that too!

For those who don't know, this is a DVD worth watching. It's a piece of history in itself. The performance was held on Christmas Day, 1989, about a month and a half after the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Celebrating the reunion of Germany and the rest of the world, Leonard Bernstein, a prolific American conductor and composer (including the musical "West Side Story") led a combined force of musicians from East and West Germany, as the United States, Britain, France, and Russia. Even a youth chorus was also invited to add more diversity. In the final movement of the symphony, he changes the word "freude" (joy) to "freiheit" (freedom), perhaps to give more emphasis that people are free from Communism, not to mention a possible fact that Schiller initially titled his poem "Ode to Freedom". Whatever the changes made, indeed "all men become brothers" in the concert... for the moment at least...

Bernstein, having less than a year to live, conducted the internationally combined orchestra rather slowly, much slower than what he did in his two previous recordings - not exactly preferable to my taste; I'm most used to the relatively fast-paced recordings of Herbert von Karajan, Eugene Ormandy, and Claudio Abbado just to name a few. It's generally even slower than the one done by Karl Bohm. Nevertheless, Lenny, the four soloists from respective countries, the choruses, and the orchestra sang from their innermost heart and soul. Some of the parts were done much better than what other conductors have done. For instance, the jubilant coda in the last movement in particular is performed with top-notch speed and almost inexplainable ecstacy, as if Lenny was storing his passion and power for that defining moment. The ovation itself was a moving moment; it seem to never stop as the audience showed their gratitude and appreciation to the performers.

For those who do know this, never hesitate to buy if, even if you own the audio-only version. Time to use both your eyes and ears to witness this historic and moving occasion.

(Just to let you know, the performance - excluding the "breaks" between movements and the applause - lasted more than 80 minutes. In the CD recording it lasted roughly 78 minutes. That is because it omitted the repeat in the "A" section of the second movement, to avoid using two disks, as each CD fits 80 minutes worth of music... although newer CDs are able to fit a little more than 80 minutes...)

Product Description
Leonard Bernstein's historical concert in celebration of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 has long become almost as legendary as the revolutionary moment that it celebrated. Recorded at the beautiful Schauspielhaus right on Gendarmenmarkt in the centre of Berlin on Christmas 1989, it has now become available on DVD, along with a short documentary film as bonus. The fall of the Berlin Wall on November 1989 unleashed a wave of democratisation in Central and Eastern Europe that radically transformed the world order and Leonard Bernstein spontaneously accepted an invitation to conduct a performance to mark this new era. It was only fitting that East Germany's new-found freedom should be celebrated with Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. The monumental work, perhaps the world's most famous Symphony, was inspired by Schiller´s poem "Ode to Joy", a passionate eulogy to freedom. Adding to the symbolism of the event, Bernstein conducted an orchestra and chorus formed from musicians from both East and West Germany (Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden), as well as the United States (New York Philharmonic), Great Britain (London Symphony), France (Orchestre de Paris) and the Soviet Union (Orchestra of the Kirov Theater).

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Review of Beethoven - Choral Fantasy and Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello & Piano / Barenboim, Ma, Perlman (1995)

A fabulous DVD!

This disc was recorded in 1995 and features Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Daniel Barenboim (on piano and orchestra conductor) with the Berlin Philharmonic.

I became interested in this music because I'd heard the Choral Fantasy while listening to CBC radio 2 (Canada). When I looked up the Choral Fantasy on Amazon.com I found that it was available on DVD and it also containedBeethoven's Triple Concerto. It was a pleasant surprise to find both these magnificent works on one disc.

There were many things I liked about this disc...to mention a few.

-while the Choral Fantasy is awesome on its own (with Daniel Barenboim giving a virtuoso performance), it is the Triple Concerto that is the spectacular focal point on this disc. Its infectious melody is performed with such pace and intensity that I sensed that all participants were totally absorbed in giving what could only be described, at least to me, as a performance of a lifetime.

-this disc is the perfect example of why classical music such as this should be on DVD as well as CD. The video of this performance does so much to enhance the enjoyment of the music; the camera work and film editing for the entire disc make this DVD a superior product. There were close ups of fingers and instruments, as well as shots of individuals and some panoramic views of the orchestra. The camera switching was done with impeccable timing and with great effect; for instance, there is one point in the 3rd movement of the Triple Concerto that you could see the perspiration glistening on Yo-Yo Ma's brow as rivulets of sweat ran down his cheek. Just great camera work!

-the emotional impact of the music on Ma , Perlman and Barenboim during this performance cannot be overstated; the intensity and concentration on the faces, as well as the animated body language of the principals could be clearly seen and appreciated.

-and finally, it appeared that all three featured performers, as well as the orchestra and chorus were elated with the way this performance continued to progress during the evening; a sense of joyous accomplishment seemed to permeate the orchestral stage... What a thrill it must have been to have witnessed live.

Highlight of the disc:
So many to consider, but I think my favorite part of this entire disc is Yo-Yo Ma's beginning of the beautiful Largo (2nd movement); He is totally absorbed in his work, every note played with the utmost tenderness and feeling. Stirring to watch.

All in all, a 5 star performance in audio, video and most importantly emotional content. It's just hard to imagine finding a better Triple Concerto or Choral Fantasy anywhere.

P.S. The only thing I found odd about this performance was the delayed audience response at the end of the Triple Concerto. (one of the other reviewers mentioned this as well) I got the feeling from the way the audience finally responded, that they weren't quite sure it was over (that no one wanted to be the first to clap or cheer); the only other explanations would be that they didn't like it (unlikely) or were so enraptured with the music they simply forget when it was finished.



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Review of Immortal Beloved (1995)

This review refers to the Special Eition DVD (Columbia) of this film
The "Maestro" has died. It is a sad day in Vienna. But the question remains, who will inherit the estate of Ludwig Von Beethoven? His surviving brother believes he is entitled to it all. Is he? A letter is found amongst Beethoven's papers bequeathing everything to the addressee. It is addressed only to "My Immortal Beloved". Beethoven's freind and confidante Anton Schindler makes it his duty to find the woman, the maestro has kept secret all these years.
As Schindler combs all of Eastern Europe searching for the mystery woman, the story of Beethoven's life unfolds, as at each stop,Schindler and the women in question exchange their experiences and what they know. We learn of how the world learned of his deafness, of his abusive childhood at the hands of his father, his relationship with these women, his hatred for his brother's wife, his adoration for his nephew Carl, and of his dark temperment.
Throughout the film, there is always the music of Beethoven. The music seems to fit the exact emotion that he is experiencing.Love, saddness, anguish, ravages of war,freedom. It is as though the music is telling the story of his life. You don't have to be a Beethoven afficianado to appreciate this. As a matter of fact this film is an excellent introduction to the music of Beethoven.The scene depicted while his 9th symphony(Ode to Joy) is playing is sheer pleasure to all the senses. Be sure to have a box of tissues ready for the end!
The music of course stands on it's own, and the cast is incredible in their portrayals. Gary Oldman IS Beethoven, Jeroen Krabbe(The Fugituve, No Mercy) is Schindler. As the women in Beethoven's life there is Isabella Rossellini, Valeria Golina(Rainman), and Johanna Ter Steege. Director Bernard Rose does an excellent job of taking us back to this time in history. The photography is breathtaking also.
What a great DVD it is. Well worth having. The 5.1 digitally remastered score is wonderful(You have the choice of 2.0 also) Dialouge crisp. Picture in Anamorphic Widescreen is sharp, colors are bright. Great Special features too. There is a documentary, and you can listen to director Rose's commentary during the film (this is best after the first viewing),he talks about everything from what is actually true, to the style of clothing worn during this period. There are also subtitles in English and Spanish and some production notes.
Film fan or Music fan you will watch this over and over....Laurie

also recommended:
Gandhi

Marilyn Monroe - The Final Days

Edward the Seventh

Product Description
Gary oldman is beethoven in this untold story of a man of genius a woman of passion and the mystery of a lifetime. Special features: dual-layer widescreen version subtitles: english spanish director bernard roses commentary original featurette talent files and theatrical trailer.Studio: Sony Pictures Home EntRelease Date: 03/06/2007Starring: Gary OldmanRun time: 120 minutesRating: R



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