The Art Of Violin

Starring: Ivry Gitlis, Yehudi Menuhin Director: Bruno Monsaingeon Original UK Premiere: 2001 Dvd Release: 9th April, 2001 Number Of Discs: 1 Format: Black & White, Colour, Full Screen, PAL, Region 2 Encoding Subtitled In: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish Dubbed In: French, Russian

Article Index: [Background Info] [DVD Review] [Biographies] [Articles/Resources] [Link To This Article] Looking To Buy? Buy This DVD Here

A documentary film by Bruno Monsaingeon devoted to the 20th centurys greatest violinists, The Art of Violin really cannot be faulted. The same, incidentally, can also be said of the similar volumes which cover the piano & singing, so theres never been a better time to collect a personal audio-visual archive of some wonderful historical performers. The added dimension provided by the painstakingly collected film material is of course of exceptional value when observing violin technique, & the diversity of approaches presented here in loving detail is in itself a subject for endless comparison. The material mixes archive performance footage, much of which one might never have dreamed existed, with interviews & documentary commentary. However, rather than turn the project into a museum piece, Monsaingeon includes contributions from contemporary figures such as Perlman and, shrewdly, Hilary Hahn, not that thered be any doubt of the huge relevance of the material to any contemporary player or lover of the repertoire. An absolute must.

Ivry Gitlis is an Israeli violinist & UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. Born in Haifa to Russian parents, Gitlis studied violin at the Conservatoire de Paris & later under George Enescu & Jacques Thibaud. He has since performed with the worlds most prestigious orchestras & many of his recordings are considered classics. Bruno Maderna wrote Piece for Ivry for him. In 1988 Gitlis was appointed UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. His stated aim is the support of education & culture of peace & tolerance.

Editors Choice: The Art Of Violin, View DVDology

Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin, OM, KBE was an American-born violinist, violist & conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom. He was a student of Louis Persinger, Georges Enesco & Adolf Busch. Yehudi Menuhin performed for allied soldiers during World War II & went with the composer Benjamin Britten to perform for the inmates of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, after its liberation in april 1945. He went back to Germany in 1947 to perform music under the conductor Wilhelm Furtwangler as an act of reconciliation, becoming the first Jewish musician to go back to Germany after the Holocaust. After building early success on richly romantic & tonally opulent performances, he experienced considerable physical & artistic difficulties caused by overwork during World War II & unfocused early training. Careful practice & study combined with meditation & yoga helped him overcome many of these problems & he continued to perform to an advanced age, becoming known for profound interpretations of an austere quality.

Editors Choice: The Art Of Violin, Rostropovich, View DVDology

©2004-2008 DVDArk.co.uk