DVD Videos

Maria Tallchief has long been recognized as one of the most accomplished American-trained dancers of her time. Her superb technique, combined with an innate musicality, lent a strong presence to her appearances, most particularly to the many major roles created for her by George Balanchine.

Tallchief made five guest appearances on the Bell Telephone Hour. Her partners included an appropriately starry assemblage of leading male dancers. The excerpts, ranging from the cool neoclassicism of Balanchine’s Allegro brillante to John Butler’s ardent Romeo and Juliet pas de deux, amply demonstrate the extraordinary versatility of this truly great American ballerina.

The Places

Our tour of Scotland takes us from Edinburgh, with its castle, Scott monument and Palace of Holyrood, to the highland and then to The Hebrides, recalling the journey undertaken by the young Mendelssohn.

The Music

In 1829 Mendelssohn visited England and, after the summer season, travelled north to Scotland, accompanied by his friend Karl Klingemann. In Edinburgh he visited the Palace of Holyrood, recalling the tragic story of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the murder there of her secretary David Rizzio. Further north he took the steamer to the island of Staffa, where he saw Fingal's Cave and in spite of sea-sickness immediately sketched the opening theme of his Hebrides Overture. It was not until 1842 that his Scottish Symphony was completed, a work inspired by memories of his visit to Scotland.

Booklet Notes: English, German, French

A versatile and highly respected conductor, Christoph von Dohnányi has pursued a remarkable career both in Europe and the United States. His work has always been characterised by the greatest artistic integrity and uncompromisingly high standards, qualities that emerge to fascinating effect from a recording which, dating from 1977, is of almost historical value.The piano soloist is Rudolf Buchbinder, who can likewise look back on a career of exceptional distinction. His performances of the German and Austrian repertory have set new standards. In his hands, Strauss' Burleske is one of the undoubted high points of this concert.

"commands great respect in the music world" The Guardian [Rudolf Buchbinder]

The extraordinary story of what happened to Felix Mendelssohn’s music and reputation under the Nazis, told by Sheila Hayman, award winning director and descendant of Mendelssohn’s sister Fanny.

‘Writer-director Sheila Hayman’s articulate, radiantly intelligent film’ (Financial Times)

‘This entrancing film succeeded as a personal and justifiably proud celebration’ (Scotsman)

‘A tangled tale…presented absolutely compellingly by Sheila Hayman’ (Guardian)

‘A fascinating film that tells how, despite its best efforts, the Third Reich could not extinguish Germany’s love of Mendelssohn’s work’ (Observer)

Picture Format: 4:3, 1 DVD

Sound Format: Digital Stereo

Running Time: 59mins

Region Code: NTSC 0

Territory: Worldwide EXCEPT NORTH AMERICA

Concert Magic, which premiered in San Francisco in 1947, was the first motion picture concert in film history (Concert Magic Item No. 2054158). In addition, many short films were made to fill the space between the traditional double features. They were also often used as encores when enthusiastic audiences demanded them. Among these encores is an especially valuable rarity, the violin concerto of Felix Mendelssohn. The length (ca. 25 minutes) prevented it from inclusion in the film. This footage shows Menuhin’s very first recorded performance of Mendelssohn`s violin concerto and other encores. Even music specialists are unaware of the existence of this previously unreleased material!

Bonus: A Violinist in Hollywood + On the Encores – Yehudi Menuhin in conversation with Humphrey Burton. Exactly 50 years after the creation of the film in 1997, Yehudi Menuhin and Humphrey Burton, director of a number of Bernstein concerts and an expert on and biographer of Menuhin, view the film in front of cameras. Menuhin comments on his playing technique, speaks about the origin of the film and reminisces about events which transpired at the time of the film. His reactions and comments about the pieces are very personal.

NTSC 4:3, PCM Stereo

Region code: 0

Booklet notes: English, German, French

Languages (Bonus): English, German, French

Running time: 44 mins (Performance) +57 mins (Bonus)

FSK: 0

This series of TV programmes presents the very best of the 16th Verbier Festival with worldwide renowned artists such as Susan Graham, Martha Argerich, Yuri Temirkanov and Philippe Jaroussky. Furthermore, very gifted artists like Yuja Wang encounter renowned conductors like Kurt Masur to feature Mendelssohn's Third Symphony.

These magnificent interpretations of three Mendelssohn works – two orchestral and one chamber – are given by the phenomenally talented young Chinese pianist Yuja Wang and other young performers. Praised in BBC Music Magazine for her ‘keen intelligence’ and ‘staggering technique’, Yuja Wang has also been described by the San Francisco Chronicle as ‘the sort of musician whose combination of talents appears in the world only rarely’. The Verbier Festival Orchestra consists of musicians hand-picked from every part of the world. Here they are directed by the doyen of German Mendelssohn conductors, Kurt Masur.

BONUS: Stravinsky: Three Movements from Petrushka performed by Yuja Wang, piano

Picture format DVD: NTSC 16:9

Sounds formats DVD: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1

Region code: 0

Booklet notes: English, German, French

Running time: 89 mins (Concert) + 15 mins (Bonus: Concert Yuja Wang / Stravinsky)

FSK: 0