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(More customer reviews)A 2 DVD set celebrating Daniel Barenboim's fifty years before the public that comprises a two-hour recital (with thirteen encores!) filmed at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, commemorating Barenboim's very first recital in his native city, plus a ninety-minute documentary about Barenboim's life.
First the recital: The regular program consists of the Mozart C Major Sonata, K. 330, followed by Beethoven's 'Appassionata' Sonata, Op. 57. After the interval are excerpts from both books of Albéniz's 'Iberia'--Evocación, El puerto, El Corpus de Sevilla, Rondeña, and Triana. Then follow thirteen encores demanded by an adoring and vociferous capacity audience in the Colón who at one point sing 'Happy Birthday' in Spanish to Barenboim. He talks to the audience before every encore and charmingly says that when he was planning his recital he at first thought he might just repeat that first recital he had played when he was ten, but thought better of it because 'some of you might have been there that night and would tell me the first concert had been better.'
The musical aspects of the recital and the marathon encores were typical Barenboim--delicately nuanced moments peppered with bombastic playing that is over the top. Clearly, though, all these years of primarily conducting orchestras like the Chicago and the Berlin Staatskapelle have not robbed him of his pianist chops.
The documentary on the second DVD traces his life from early childhood in Buenos Aires (and includes footage of a trip back there to see childhood haunts including the synagogue he had attended) through visits to the Berlin Staatsoper, the Berlin Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, a visit to Israel (where he grew up after about age ten), a session with the orchestra he founded consisting of Israeli and Arab musicians, the controversial concert with the Staatskapelle in Jerusalem where he finished a concert by asking the audience if they would be willing to hear some Wagner (Prelude and Liebestod) which provoked an outraged few to shout and then leave the hall. And finally a little bit of tango with bandoneon and double bass players back in Buenos Aires. Throughout Barenboim is shown to be a charming and genial man who clearly enjoys life to the fullest (including smoking big cigars at any opportunity, and spicing up a Chinese dinner with salsa).
An interesting combination of musical recital and documentary, both filmed by a team consisting of Paul Smaczny and Isabel Iturriagagoitia, beautifully videographed. Sound is good. Subtitles in English, French, German. Sound choices: DD 5.1, DTS 5.1, PCM Stereo. Total time: concert 140 mins; documentary 90 mins.
Scott Morrison
Click Here to see more reviews about: Daniel Barenboim: The Jubilee Concert from Buenos Aires & 'Multiple Identities' (2000)
Five decades after his first appearance on stage the legendary Barenboim plays a special anniversary concert in the Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires. A touching encounter between the pianist and the enthusiastic audience of his home country Argentina. Main program includes favourite piano works by Beethoven, Mozart and Albeniz. Presenting not less than 13 encores by Chopin, Schumann, Villa-Lobos, Scarlatti, to name just a few. Includes the documentary: 'MULTIPLE IDENTITIES'. The documentary follows the pianist-conductor around the world as he celebrates five decades at the top amid applause, adulation, and occasionally controversy. Featuring Yo-Yo Ma, Pierre Boulez, Cecilia Bartoli, Waltraud Meier, Edward Said and many more. Filmed in Buenos Aires, Berlin, Chicago, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Weimar.
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