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Work in Progress Maxim Vengerov - Crossroad Mozart The Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra was created in 2005. The highly gifted and extremely motivated young professional musicians come from all over the world. In October 2005 they met in Israel together with Maxim Vengerov in order to prepare a pure Mozart programme for a CD recording in London in February of 2006, which will be followed by a world tour. This documentation of the birth of a young and promising orchestra comes just in time for the celebration of Mozart's 250th birthday in 2006. Once more Maxim Vengerov demonstrates his mastership as a soloist, conductor and teacher. Director Angelika Lizius 2007 Completed Programmes > Back to Work in Progress Into The Cold Dawn The film recounts the life of the composer Dmitri Shostakovich from the perspective of a film director, played by Armin Mueller-Stahl, who is shooting a movie about Shostakovich. While editing the film, the director shifts through scenes from feature films for which Shostakovich wrote the music during the rule of Stalin. The director meets and interviews family members and companions of the composer, such as Mstislav Rostropovich. Key moments in the life of Shostakovich are re-enacted with marionette puppets. At the end of his investigation, the director realises that he is unable to draw a clear-cut portrait of the composer - what his interview partners tell him is just too contradictory. Director: Oliver Becker, Katharina Bruner 2008, Length: 80` Dragon Songs - Lang Lang in China Lang Lang, the exceptional Chinese pianist, has never forgotten his home country. Having been quite successful in the Western world, he now returns to China, inviting us to witness a sensational event: The Chinese superstar plays concerts and gives master classes in eight major cities/venues in China and in Beijing he plays a concert which presents traditional Chinese music, together with the most outstanding musicians from all over China. The documentation of this tour and the music programme of traditional Chinese music are recorded on HD. Director: Benedict Mirow 2006, Length: 60' Portrait Kent Nagano The duality of opera and symphonics, which began with Nagano's simultaneous direction of the opera of Lyon and of the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester and which saw its continuation in the opera of Los Angeles and the German Symphony Orchestra in Berlin, is of vital importance to Nagano's self-image ("I simply cannot image the one without the other"). This duality is the dramaturgical focus of this portrait. As of the 2006/2007 season, Nagano is appointed General Music Director of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich as well as chief conductor of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. A cosmopolite of great promise to 21st century classical music. Director: Oliver Becker 2006, Photo: ROC Berlin Schumann - Clara - Brahms A 45-minute feature on the subject "love", taking as an example the relationships between Clara and Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms. The film presents Hélène Grimaud playing excerpts from Schumann's Piano Concerto with the Staatskapelle Dresden conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen, the Cello Sonata No. 2 by Johannes Brahms with Truls Mørk and Schumann's Romances op. 94 with Albrecht Mayer. Furthermore the film includes songs by Clara Schumann with Anne Sofie von Otter and an interview with Françoise Hardy. A feature created on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Robert Schumann's death in 2006. Length 45,` Director: Benedict Mirow, 2006 Photo: (c) Kasskara/DG, Deutsche Grammophon Close-up Shostakovich Humour, sarcasm, grotesqueness - and not least an overriding pessimism - are characteristics not only found in Shostakovich himself but also in his music. The film intends to be as authentic as possible in portraying the composer, neither denouncing him as an opportunist nor praising him as a dissident. The seven chapters rather try to reconstruct how the young star composer, who renouncing the traditional was known for his grotesque distortions, became the stiff state composer most of whose life is still shrouded in mystery. Director: Oliver Becker 2006, Length: 60' Lang Lang - Carnegie Hall Debut Throughout its long and rich history New York's Carnegie Hall and great pianism have been synonymous. Lang Lang's Carnegie Hall debut on 7 November 2003 seems to be an event of similar importance. Although Lang Lang had barely celebrated his 21st birthday at the time of this concert, his portfolio already boasts an impressive array of high-profile, international appearances. Given Lang Lang's swift and steady ascent, one can easily imagine the inevitable pressure on this young artist to deliver the goods in the face of increased scrutiny from colleagues and critics. As it happens, he handles the limelight with confidence and consummate grace. Length: 60`. Director: Benedict Mirow, 2004. Photo: Andrew Eccles/Deutsche Grammophon Dave Brubeck - Take Five im Quartet Dave Brubeck sees himself primarily as a composer who also plays the piano. However, it was as a jazz pianist and improviser that he rose to fame. His name is usually mentioned in conjunction with "Take Five", the first jazz instrumental to sell a million copies. Concert recording, Length: 60` and Interview, Length: 22` Director Dieter Hens, 2004 Zwischen Abgrund und Idylle - Eduard Mörike Lange Zeit galt er als weltfremder Biedermeierdichter, doch dieses Urteil ist längst revidiert. Eduard Mörike zählt zu den bedeutendsten deutschsprachigen Lyrikern. Das Grundmotiv seiner Gedichte ist die Sehnsucht nach der harmonischen Verbindung von Natur, Musik, Liebe und lyrischen Ich. Doch auch Ironie und Groteske kennzeichnen seine Sprache. Der Film begibt sich auf die Spuren der Lebensstationen Mörikes in Baden-Württemberg und spürt dem Schein und Sein seiner Künstlerpersönlichkeit nach. Die Flucht in die Idylle war für Mörike eine Ventil, den ihn zermürbenden Anforderungen des Alltags zu entfliehen. Die Person des Eduard Mörike wird von dem Schauspieler Bernhard Hurm verkörpert. Vertonungen von Hugo Wolf, interpretiert von Hermann Prey und Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, komplettieren die Dokumentation. Length 60', Director Christoph Ammon. In cooperation with 3sat, 2004 (Only german rights available) Hilary Hahn - A Portrait Music experts have called Hilary Hahn a "talent of the century"- and there is no doubt that she is one of the 21st century's classical music icons. The young violinist jets from one concert to the next in the metropolises of the world with the professionalism and self-possession of a pop star. Anyone wishing to make a portrait of Hilary Hahn can only do so on the go. We accompany the artist on her travels, which include stops at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, the Berlin Philharmonie and the famous Abbey Road Studios in London. An intimate portrait emerges, of a cosmopolitan young woman who is able to fill well-known classical works with a new intensity that is also fascinating for young audiences. Length 58`, Director: Benedict Mirow, 2005 In cooperation with BR Photo: (c) Kasskara/DG, Deutsche Grammophon Enoch zu Guttenberg: bewegt - bewegend "Ich kann nur Musik dirigieren, die mich bewegt", sagt Enoch zu Guttenberg, "und wenn ich erkenne, dass ein Komponist ein Bekennender ist, dann will ich dieses Bekenntnis weitergeben." Enoch zu Guttenberg gilt als herausragender Interpret der großen Oratorien und Sinfonien zwischen Barock und Spätromantik. Er fand seinen ureigenen Stil, indem es ihm immer wieder gelingt, Gegensätzliches zu verbinden: Elemente der historischen Aufführungspraxis einerseits und modernen, vitalen Ausdruckswillen andererseits. Basis seines Erfolgs ist auch seine kontinuierliche Arbeit mit der Chorgemeinschaft Neubeuern, die er vor fast 40 Jahren als bäuerliche "Liedertafel" kennen lernte und zum Weltklasse Ensemble aufbaute, und mit dem Orchester der "KlangVerwaltung", das er 1997 mit begründete. Das Portrait zeigt Enoch zu Guttenberg während der Proben zu Mozarts c-moll Messe, mit seiner Familie auf Schloss Guttenberg und auf einer Berghütte in der Steiermark. Length 60`, Director: Angelika Lizius, 2005 (Only german rights available) Meister - Singer Mit Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau setzte mit der jedes Wort artikulierenden Genauigkeit seines Gesanges bleibende Maßstäbe. Als "bester Liedersänger der Welt" (Times) füllte er bis Ende 1992 fast selbstverständlich die Konzertsäle. Nach mehr als 45 Jahren stellte er 1993 seine Konzerttätigkeit ein und ist seither als, Dirigent, Rezitator, Buchautor und Lehrer viel beschäftigt. Der Film "Meister - Singer" produziert in der Musik- und Singschule Heidelberg, beschäftigt sich mit dem klassischen Kunstlied und Komponisten wie Franz Schubert, Hugo Wolf, Johannes Brahms, Gustav Mahler oder Johann Strauss. Vier Tage lang unterrichtete Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau acht Gesangsstudierende. Er machte dabei nicht nur Vorschläge, sondern ließ gelegentlich auch seinen "Heldenbariton" nochmals anklingen. O-Töne des 1925 in Berlin geborenen Ausnahmekünstlers geben seine Sichtweise über die aktuelle Situation des Liedguts wieder. Außerdem charakterisieren die Meisterkursteilnehmer mit ihren Eindrücken zum Meisterkurs diesen weltweit außergewöhnlichen Liedinterpreten. Length 60', Director Christoph Ammon "Friends " - Chick Corea and Bobby McFerrin. Portrait of a musical friendship. The two heroes of jazz have been close friends for many years. The portrait demonstrates this "artists´ friendship" in a sophisticated yet entertaining form. Recordings of several concerts and interviews in Munich and Verbier are a vivid attestation of this creative co-operation, which have made their performances to unforgettable events. Encounters with Evgeny Kissin, Avishai Cohen, Jeff Ballard and other personalities provide the film with surprising and enlightening additional highlights. Length: 60`. Director: Bettina Erhardt. A Co-production of bce film / LOFT music Bobby McFerrin and Chick Corea Live For decades now Chick Corea and Bobby McFerrin have been playing alongside each other - whether it be jazz or classical music, in the concert hall or in the studio. And there is a meeting of minds particularly when it comes to improvisation as in this live recording of a concert at the Verbier Summer Festival. It presents Bobby McFerrin and The Chick Corea New Trio, including Chick Corea (piano), Avishai Cohen (bass) and Jeff Ballard (drums). The concert demonstrates the spontaneous, but always inspired and congenial musical partnership of two of the greats in contemporary music. Every sequence of their music is unpredictable, even for themselves. In Chick's own words: "We don't know what comes next, we just play." Duration: 58'. Director: Bettina Erhardt. A Co-production of bce film / LOFT music "Beyond words" This film contains mainly the recording of a concert of Mischa Maisky and Pavel Gililov during the Richard-Strauss-Tage in Garmisch-Partenkirchen with compositions of Johannes Brahms. They play: J. Brahms: "3 Songs… without words" op. 85/1, op. 85/2, op. 86/2 / Sonata Nr. 1 e-minor op. 38 Interviews with Maisky about his tragic experiences in the former Soviet Union, his relationship with his instrument and the meaning of music in his life in combination with shootings in the pictoresque landscape of Garmisch-Partenkirchen give this film a real emotional potential. Lenght: 60', Director: Benedict Mirow In cooperation with 3sat / ZDF In addition available: Mischa Maisky and Pavel Gililov playing Richard Strauss: Sonata F-major for Violoncello and Piano, Romance F-major T 188. "Martin Walser - Women Voices in operas of Richard Strauss" The fascinating speech by Martin Walser opening the Richard-Strauss-Tage in Garmisch-Partenkirchen 2003 is an ode to a "woman's voice" as a medium of beauty and transformation. Narrated samples of operas "Ariadne" , "Agyptian Helena", "Don Giovanni" etc. demonstrate Walser´s thesis, that a "woman´s voice" may overcome the abysms of real life. Music excerpts from the arias of Zerbinette and Ariadne prove the meaning of Walser´s statements. Lenght: 57`, Director: Benedict Mirow In cooperation with 3sat / ZDF	In 's own words, their productions aim is: to bridge the gap between light an serious music to find a connection between composed and improvised music, thus opening up the possibility for spontaneous development and invention to break up the rites of conventional concerts and TV-programmes in order to allow the average person to attend without prejudice - the effect is that the listener is not only the consumer of the music but becomes a partner of the musician.