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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Holst: In the Bleak Midwinter
This new DVD from director Tony Palmer telling the story of Gustav Holst is the first ever film about this extraordinary composer. The full-length film biography of Holst will be premiered on BBC 4 in April. It includes previously unseen material with his daughter Imogen, his pupils Michael Tippett, Herbert Howells, Edmund Rubbra and the 102 year-old Elliott Carter, as well as a dozen pupils from St Paul's Girls School in Hammersmith who remember him from the time he was Director of Music at the school. Holst led an extraordinary life. He taught himself Sanskrit, lived in a street of brothels in Algiers, cycled into the Sahara Desert and allied himself during the First World War with a ‘red priest’ who pinned on the door of his church “prayers at noon for the victims of Imperial Aggression”. He hated the words used to his most famous tune “I Vow to Thee My Country” because it was the opposite of what he believed and he distributed a newspaper called The Socialist Worker. Holst was a very great composer whose music - especially The Planets - owed little or nothing to anyone, least of all the ‘English folk song tradition’. He tragically died of cancer, broken and disillusioned, before he was 60. “Gustav Holst's The Planets is one of the best-known pieces of classical music written by a British composer. How strange, then, that we know so little of the composer's other music – or, for that matter, of the composer himself. But Tony Palmer's new full-length film about him, ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ – due for screening on BBC4 on Easter Sunday – contains more than a few startling revelations about this apparently quiet and enigmatic figure …… Palmer's film tells a moving tale, illustrated with swathes of Holst's startlingly original music. Perhaps it will turn around the fortunes of British music's most unlikely hero” The Independent, 15th April 2011 “A seamless blend of beautiful photography, penetrating insight and sublime music” The Times, 16th April 2011 “It is a marvellous, epic film (that) tells the story of this strange, brilliant man” Sunday Telegraph, 17th April 2011 “This two-hour musical biography of Gustav Holst sits impressively in Tony Palmer's array of marvellous films about musicians...A generous set of performances interleaves here with the story of a remarkable man.” Radio Times “[musical excerpts] are excellently performed, including a lovely extract from Holst's beautiful but rarely heard choral Ode to Death.” BBC Music Magazine, July 2011 **** | | | Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days. |
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| |  | Carlos Kleiber: I am Lost to the World
Carlos Kleiber, the eccentric and reclusive conductor has achieved cult status in music circles and has built a loyal fan base. The film uncovers some of the mysteries and tries to clear up preconceptions of one of the most elusive conductors: what were the real reasons he cancelled that often? It sheds light on the relationships with his family, including his father and mother, traces the developments of his career and covers the ‘mythologizing’ that started during the lifetime of the maestro. Carlos Kleiber has always been a major mystery to the world and probably even to himself too. He disposed to close the door to his closest family circle for any biographers and his children indeed respect his wish. This is why the filmmaker had to do his research amongst the conductor’s musical companions, collaborators and friends. The film includes never seen before film footage, interviews with Ricardo Muti, Otto Schenk, Dr. Otto Staindl, friend and attending physician of Carlos Kleiber, members of the Wiener Philharmoniker, the Münchener Philharmoniker and the Berliner Philharmoniker. Many of them own letters or small notepads by Kleiber, documentary reproductions, photographs or private video copies of rehearsals and concerts. In addition to this, his rare records are milestones and extracts of them will certainly be included in the film. Video director Georg Wübbolt Running Time Total: 60 minutes Picture 16:9, color/bw Sound PCM Stereo Subtitles German version and English spoken version Subtitles: French, Spanish, Japanese “Georg Wübbolt's I am Lost to the World includes a rare radio interview with Kleiber and emphasises the destructive/inspirational relationship with his famous conductor father Erich.” Gramophone Magazine “In some musical ways a miracle, in other personal ways a monster, Kleiber was the greatest conductor of our age. This sober documentary comes on the heels of another, Traces to Nowhere, by Eric Schulz (with testimony from the conductor's sister): orchestral players explain his hold over them, and there is an electrifying rehearsal sequence from Tristan in Bayreuth.” The Observer, 8th May 2011 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Introducing Haydn: Symphony No. 94Documentary and full performance
Performance recorded live at the Hagia Eirene, Istanbul, 5 May 2001. Picture format: NTSC 16:9 Sound format: PCM Stereo / Dolby Digital 5.1 / DTS 5.1 Subtitles: English, German, French, Spanish Booklet notes: English, German, French Running time: 27 mins (documentary) + 24 mins (performance) “[Levin] captures the work's spirit, as does the sparkling performance.” BBC Music Magazine, June 2011 *** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Alfred Brendel On Music - Three LecturesA film by Mark Kidel
Three Lectures 1. “Does Classical music have to be entirely serious?” 2. “Musical Character (s) as exemplified in Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas” 3.“Light and Shade of Interpretation”
The 2 DVD-set of legendary pianist and one of the greatest musical thinkers of our age, Alfred Brendel contains 3 lectures, which he illustrates on the piano with musical excerpts from Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, Handel, Schubert and more. On January 5th 2011 Brendel celebrated his 80th birthday. Presented specifically to be recorded audio-visually, these lectures were held in rooms of the Salzburg Festival. Thanks to their successful blend of music and theory, they are informative and entertaining not only for experts but also for all lovers of music with an interest in deepening their understanding of the subject. Brendel is still performing these lectures all over the world. Running Time Total: 224 minutes (each lecture is ca. 75 minutes long) Picture 16:9, colour Sound PCM Stereo, DTS 5.0 Subtitles English (original language) Subtitles: E, F, G, Sp, I, Kr, Ch, Jp “Thoughts range from the philosophical to the finer points of interpretative detail that make key viewing for pianists” BBC Music Magazine, October 2011 *** “Best of all is the third lecture (DVD 2, one hour 18 mins), "Light and shade of interpretation", which at least uses the visual medium by projecting scores. The illustrations range from (uncredited) orchestral recordings of Wagner and Schubert to a few bars from Handel's Hercules sung by the endearingly eccentric lecturer” Gramophone Magazine, Awards Issue 2011 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Introducing Beethoven Symphony No. 9
Host: Wulf Konold A new way of experiencing and enjoying the great works of music from the Baroque to the Modern Period – thanks to a new educational series of audio-visual concert guides, Introducing Masterpieces of Classical Music. Each release includes extensive documentation and a complete performance of the work or works in question. Famous masterpieces from the standard repertoire of the greatest international orchestras are brought closer to the viewer through first class concert broadcasts (Berliner Philharmoniker, Wiener Philharmoniker, Gewandhaus Orchester…) in a timely visual style. Includes 26 mins introductory feature + full concert performance of the masterpiece! Ludwig van Beethoven’s ninth and last symphony is considered one of the highlights of symphonic music. Through using the human voice, Beethoven questions the effect of purely instrumental music, and he exerted a sustained influence on all generations of composers after him. The German Beethoven expert Wulf Konold explains the central characteristics of this exciting masterpiece. Picture format DVD: NTSC 16:9 Sounds formats DVD: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1 Region code: 0 Subtitles: English, German, French, Spanish Booklet notes: English, German, French Running time: 26 mins (documentary) + 69 mins (performance) FSK: 0 “An exceptionally good introduction to the Choral Symphony, succinctly providing insight into the music and a sense of how it confounded the expectations of Beethoven's contemporaries.” BBC Music Magazine, June 2011 ***** | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Introducing Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique
Host: Wulf Konold A new way of experiencing and enjoying the great works of music from the Baroque to the Modern Period – thanks to a new educational series of audio-visual concert guides, Introducing Masterpieces of Classical Music. Each release includes extensive documentation and a complete performance of the work or works in question. Famous masterpieces from the standard repertoire of the greatest international orchestras are brought closer to the viewer through first class concert broadcasts (Berliner Philharmoniker, Wiener Philharmoniker, Gewandhaus Orchester…) in a timely visual style. Includes 29 mins introductory feature + full concert performance of the masterpiece! Berlioz’ “Fantastic Symphony” is widely regarded as one of the most important and representative pieces of the early Romantic period. Leonard Bernstein once called it “the first musical expedition into psychedelia” because of its hallucinatory and dream-like nature. The German musicologist Wulf Konold describes the idea behind and the realization of this fascinating work. Picture format DVD: NTSC 16:9 Sounds formats DVD: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1 Region code: 0 Subtitles: English, German, French, Spanish Booklet notes: English, German, French Running time: 29 mins (documentary) + 53 mins (performance) FSK: 0 “The introductory film conveys Berlioz's extraordinary sensibility well, along with the radical nature of the work. Mariss Jansons's performance is fine, if not as extraordinary as the music.” BBC Music Magazine, June 2011 **** | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Carlos Kleiber: Traces to NowhereA Film by Eric Schulz
On the 11th July 2004 Carlos Kleiber got into his car and drove from Munich, via the Alps, to his holiday home in the remote Slovenian village of Konjsica. There he wrote a final letter to a friend in which he bid farewell to the world. A short time later the conductor, increasingly plagued by illness and suffering, was found dead. The documentary “Traces to Nowhere” represents the first film dedicated to the enigmatic personality of the conductor. The film follows in the traces of Kleiber’s final journey and, by means of the recollections of friends and other companions – including the first and only interview with his sister Veronika – portrays a man as renowned for his difficult personality as his brilliant work. “I never wanted to talk about what he did and always said my brother didn‘t give interviews, so I wouldn‘t say anything myself,“ reveals Veronika Kleiber. And she explains the background to this silence. “As far as possible you should leave no traces behind in life. That‘s an old Chinese saying that my brother identified with.“ She adds goodhumouredly: “And now here we are, acting as traces. That‘s all your fault!“ Veronika Kleiber, the sister of Carlos Kleiber “What he left us is that tremendous emptiness of losing a friend, and a genius.” Plácido Domingo “Kleiber was a living legend. His incredible reputation preceded him wherever he went.” Otto Schenk Sound Format: PCM Stereo Picture Format: 16:9 DVD Format: DVD 9, NTSC Subtitle Languages: DE, GB, FR, ES, IT , JP Running Time: 72 mins FSK: 0 “Traces has Veronika Kleiber, the conductor's sister - a shrewd, loving and highly articulate woman who has many stories and comments that help to bring Kleiber to vibrant life. So, too, does Brigitte Fassbaender, who worked very often with the conductor as Octavian...Traces is worth watching, and several times, for her alone.” BBC Music Magazine, July 2011 **** | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould
"Genius Within" pierces through the myths, revealing the man beneath the icon and reconstructs his thoughts on music, art, society, love and life. Containing an unprecedented array of very rare archive footage with interviews of Gould's closest friends, plus never-before heard home recordings and excerpts from his private diaries. Includes trailer, deleted scenes and colour booklet RUN TIME: 109 minutes ASPECT RATIO: 16:9 Full Height Anamorphic DISC FORMAT: DVD9: Single-Sided Dual Layer AUDIO: Stereo “Altogether, this portrait reverentially demythologises a man whose recordings and musical example remain provocative, inspiring and utterly unique. The bonus 'extras' recycle some film footage but add rewarding information.” BBC Music Magazine, April 2011 ***** “A treasure trove for fans of the legendary Canadian pianist” Daily Telegraph **** “One of the few films about classical music shown in cinemas that's worth seeing” Evening Standard “a documentary packed with fact, verified folklore and faces of former friends and family, subpoenaed to bear witness in interview. The archive footage alone is irresistible” Financial Times, 21st January 2011 “What else is there to know about this pianist? Well, quite a lot, as this expertly paced, industriously sourced and artfully edited portrait reveals. It includes much footage that has never been seen before, relying on numerous talking heads and Gould himself to provide the narrative. It also delves into at least one area of his mysterious private life of which most of his global army of fans will have been unaware.” Gramophone Magazine, June 2011 “Thoughtful, confident and completely engrossing” Los Angeles Times ““Genius Within” is a tour de force of archival research and dogged interviewing, and the portrait it presents is remarkably complete...It presents strong evidence that he was not just a gifted instrumentalist but also a hands-on cultural thinker” New York Times, 10th September 2010 “Has Bach ever sounded so liquid? The black-and-white scenes of the young, affable Gould arriving in New York in the early 1950s are fascinating, and poignant” The Independent, 21st January 2011 **** “Impeccable documentary about the idiosyncratic pianist, constructed from a wealth of archive footage, radio recordings and new interviews with friends and colleagues.” The Independent on Sunday, 23rd January 2011 “Thoroughly pleasurable. A work of art in its own right” Washington Post  BBC Music Magazine
DVD Choice - April 2011 |
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| |  | Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve PartsA film by Scott Hicks
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| |  | If I Were a Rich Man: The Life of Jan PeerceA film by Peter Rosen – Hosted by Isaac Stern
Jan Peerce was a great singer, universally acclaimed as one of the outstanding artists of his time, a role model of the American Dream. Commencing with Peerce`s roots on the Lower East Side of New York, and traveling “uptown” and around the world with him, we will view his life through music performance, and interviews with famed concert violinist, and host, Isaac Stern. In addition, video and film footage of Jan Peerce, some of which has never been publicly shown, will bring to life his dynamic, entertaining, and witty personality. One hour biography of the life of the famous Metropolitan Opera tenor. Supported by grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Picture format DVD: NTSC 16:9 Sounds formats DVD: PCM Stereo Region code: 0 Booklet notes: English, German, French Languages: English Running time: 59 mins FSK: 0 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Gramophone Awards 2011
BBC Music Magazine Awards 2012