The Art of Conducting: Legendary Conductors of a Golden Era | Classical Music Documentary DVD  

Made in Europe  

Region 2-6 PAL DVD

Product Information

• UPC: 809274266828
• Product Code: 0927 42668 2
• Product Type: Classical Music Documentary DVD
• Label: Teldec Video
• Format: DVD-5
• Picture Format: PAL 4:3
• Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono + Stereo
• Languages: English (with French and German subtitles)
• Duration: 115 minutes
• Color: B&W + Color
• Region Code: 2/3/4/5/6
• Release Year: 1997
• Production: Teldec Classics International in association with IMG Artists

Overview

"The Art of Conducting: Legendary Conductors of a Golden Era" is the captivating sequel to the acclaimed "The Art of Conducting - Great Conductors of the Past." This documentary examines six of the 20th century's most influential maestros: Sergiu Celibidache, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Erich Kleiber, Evgeny Mravinsky, Charles Munch, and Willem Mengelberg. Through rare archival footage and insightful commentary from renowned musicians who worked directly with these maestros—including Yehudi Menuhin, Daniel Barenboim, and Bernard Haitink—viewers gain unprecedented insight into the distinctive techniques and artistic philosophies that defined each conductor's approach. The program is further enriched by rare film clips featuring Herbert von Karajan, Hermann Scherchen, André Cluytens, and Václav Talich, making this an essential documentary for classical music enthusiasts and a fascinating exploration of the enigmatic art of orchestral conducting.

Français Aperçu (French Overview)

"The Art of Conducting: Legendary Conductors of a Golden Era" est la fascinante suite du film acclamé "The Art of Conducting - Great Conductors of the Past." Ce documentaire examine six des maestros les plus influents du XXe siècle: Sergiu Celibidache, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Erich Kleiber, Evgeny Mravinsky, Charles Munch et Willem Mengelberg. À travers des archives filmées rares et des commentaires perspicaces de musiciens renommés ayant travaillé directement avec ces maestros—notamment Yehudi Menuhin, Daniel Barenboim et Bernard Haitink—les spectateurs obtiennent un aperçu sans précédent des techniques distinctives et des philosophies artistiques qui ont défini l'approche de chaque chef d'orchestre. Le programme est enrichi par de rares extraits de films mettant en vedette Herbert von Karajan, Hermann Scherchen, André Cluytens et Václav Talich, ce qui en fait un documentaire essentiel pour les amateurs de musique classique et une exploration fascinante de l'art énigmatique de la direction d'orchestre.

Deutsche Übersicht (German Overview)

"The Art of Conducting: Legendary Conductors of a Golden Era" ist die fesselnde Fortsetzung des gefeierten Films "The Art of Conducting - Great Conductors of the Past." Diese Dokumentation untersucht sechs der einflussreichsten Maestros des 20. Jahrhunderts: Sergiu Celibidache, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Erich Kleiber, Evgeny Mravinsky, Charles Munch und Willem Mengelberg. Durch seltenes Archivmaterial und aufschlussreiche Kommentare von renommierten Musikern, die direkt mit diesen Maestros zusammengearbeitet haben—darunter Yehudi Menuhin, Daniel Barenboim und Bernard Haitink—erhalten die Zuschauer beispiellose Einblicke in die unverwechselbaren Techniken und künstlerischen Philosophien, die den Ansatz jedes Dirigenten prägten. Das Programm wird durch seltene Filmausschnitte mit Herbert von Karajan, Hermann Scherchen, André Cluytens und Václav Talich bereichert, was es zu einer unverzichtbaren Dokumentation für Liebhaber klassischer Musik und zu einer faszinierenden Erkundung der rätselhaften Kunst des Orchesterdirigentenamtes macht.

Product Features

• Comprehensive documentary on six legendary conductors
• Commentary from renowned musicians including Menuhin, Barenboim, and Haitink
• Rare archival footage of rehearsals and performances
• Additional film clips of four additional renowned conductors
• Multi-language subtitles (English, French, German)
• Includes substantial booklet with additional information
• Both black & white historical footage and color segments

Interesting Facts

The Enigma of Celibidache

Sergiu Celibidache was famous for his refusal to make commercial recordings, believing that the true essence of music could only be experienced in live performance. The footage in this documentary represents some of the rare visual documentation of his work, showing his distinctive technique that emphasized spacious tempi and extraordinary dynamic control. His hands—featured on the cover of this DVD—were considered among the most expressive in conducting history.

Furtwängler's Legacy

Wilhelm Furtwängler's approach to conducting was characterized by organic flexibility rather than strict adherence to the score. Despite controversy surrounding his decision to remain in Germany during the Nazi era, his profound musical interpretations—particularly of German composers like Beethoven and Brahms—have continued to influence generations of conductors. The documentary offers valuable insights into his unique conducting style, with its famous "Furtwängler beat" that often appeared ahead of the actual sound.

The Soviet Master

The documentary contains rare footage of Evgeny Mravinsky, who led the Leningrad Philharmonic for nearly fifty years and rarely performed outside the Soviet Union. His longtime collaboration with Shostakovich resulted in performances considered definitive by the composer himself. Mravinsky was known for his demanding rehearsal methods—sometimes conducting over 40 rehearsals for a single performance—resulting in an unprecedented precision and intensity.

Contrasting Approaches

The documentary effectively highlights the dramatically different conducting styles among these maestros: Mengelberg's highly interventionist approach that sometimes dramatically reinterpreted scores; Kleiber's precision and intellectual clarity; Munch's spontaneous passion; and Celibidache's search for transcendent sound. These contrasts illuminate the fundamental truth that despite working with the same musical texts, each conductor created a distinctive musical universe through their unique artistic vision.

Featured Conductors

• Sergiu Celibidache
• Wilhelm Furtwängler
• Erich Kleiber
• Evgeny Mravinsky
• Charles Munch
• Willem Mengelberg

With additional rare footage of:

• Herbert von Karajan
• Hermann Scherchen
• André Cluytens
• Václav Talich

Featured Commentators

• Peter Andry
• Alexander Barantschik
• Daniel Barenboim
• Walter Barylli
• Otto Edelmann
• Vic Firth
• Yuri Grigorovich
• Bernard Haitink
• Yehudi Menuhin
• Evgeny Mravinsky

Production Credits

• Consultant: Stephen Wright
• Producer: Marcos Kiorman
• Associate Producer: Evelyn Vellerman
• Director: Peter R. Smith
• Cover Photo: Hands of Sergiu Celibidache
• Original Cover Design: Pat Doyle
• Booklet Editor: Shelagh Hughes
• DVD Producer: Marcos Kiorman

Publishers

A Teldec Classics International production in association with IMG Artists. © 1997 Teldec Classics International GmbH Manufactured in Germany by Warner Music Manufacturing Europe.

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