Nobuyuki Tsujii: Live at Carnegie Hall [Blu-ray]

A celebration of the human spirit and the power of music
I was at the Carnegie Hall debut of Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii on November 10, 2011. The popularity of Tsujii in Japan was (and still is) such that no less than three Japanese TV crews were on hand for that occasion, and the presence of cameras was seemingly everywhere in the concert hall that night.

This video does not have the drama of Peter Rosen's acclaimed video "A Surprise in Texas", the documentary for the 2009 Van Cliburn International Competition, which propelled Nobu to international stardom. Just the same, it is a lovingly made tribute to the unique musical talent and indomitable spirit of Nobuyuki Tsujii.

Because I had heard Tsujii play the other works at previous concerts, the most interesting parts of the Carnegie Hall performance, to me, were the opening piece and the encores.

The recital started with John Musto's daunting "Improvisation and Fugue", performed with the composer in the audience that night. I cannot do better than...

Great performance!
This is outstanding performance !
I love his tender but passionate play.
How lucky I am to get this dvd!
I will keep watch his growth!

An astonishing debut Carnegie Hall recital providing a high 'wow' factor
This disc celebrates the Carnegie Hall debut of Nobuyuki Tsujii in 2011 following on from his joint gold award won earlier at the 2009 Van Cliburn competition. The presented program is wide-ranging in its demands both technically and musically. What makes this even more of an achievement for Tsujii is that he has been blind from birth and that consequently he has had to learn everything that he plays by ear. This combination of achievements is fully appreciated by the ecstatic audience to such an extent that Tsujii finds their response to be touchingly overwhelming as the film concludes back stage.

The recital starts with one of the test pieces from the van Cliburn competition, the Improvisation and Fugue by John Musto. This is a technically demanding piece requiring considerable digital dexterity but could not be described as exploring means of expression such as touch or lyricism or other means of expressing a player's sensitivity. The piece clearly establishes the `wow'...

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Beck: 7-9

Beck MUrder Mysteries
This series of murder mysteries is excellent. It draws the viewer into the story and keeps them on the edge of their seat! The dialogue is easy to follow even though it is in Swedish (with occasional english) and is subtitled in english.

The only downside is knowing that we are nearing the end of the series...

More of the good stuff
Before there was the girl with The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Joe Nesbo, Henning Mankell and all of the other excellent authors in the Scandinavian mystery invasion, there was the Martin Beck mystery series witten by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo published between 1965 and 1975. They are the Dashiel Hammett and Raymond Chandler of the Scandinavian school and their books stand up quite well against the best of Hammett and Chandler. This more modern television series captures the spirit of the books. While these are very tough minded mysteries, they offer more by way of humanistic values than we are used to seeing these days. Martin Beck, a middle aged policeman, is a bit neurotic - but his heart is good. The supporting character of the swaggering Gunvald Larsson, played by Mikael Persbrand, is one of the best characters in detective literature and television. Everything about this series is first rate and it is not to be missed by the lovers of Scandinavian noir or noir in general.

Nordic Noir
This is a police story as good or better than classic American detective television. Good studies of the main characters.

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That's Entertainment - A Celebration of Classic MGM Musicals

Avoid the CD. This DVD is what you want!
There are segments of this sensational 2009 Proms concert posted on youtube, which served as my introduction to John Wilson and his brilliant orchestra of hand-pick virtuoso musicians. As an American, I never heard of John Wilson before I stumbled upon these youtube clips. But I could easily tell that John Wilson and these musicians and singers not only understand, but also fully appreciate this material. I was hooked instantly.

Everyone is in top form and having a lot of fun here. You never get the sense of listening to staid and stuffy interpretations played by classical musicians who are "slumming" between performances of Mahler symphonies. And as the audience begins to realize they are witnessing something truly special, you can't help but be caught up in the joy and excitement yourself. You may quibble over the choices of a couple of the solo singers (Yes, I'm talking about Sarah Fox and Sir Thomas Allen) and wonder whether or not their vocal styles really fit the...

DVD IS OVER TWO HOURS, NOT 90 MINUTES!
The Amazon product description says this DVD is 90 minutes, which is incorrect. Actual running time (as stated on DVD case) is 124 minutes. This is by far the best and most exhilarating concert I've ever seen. Who would think the "Broadway Melody" number from Singing In The Rain would be a knockout, (the audience breaks out in applause in the middle!) but it is. If you like this type of music even a little, do yourself a favor and order this.

A Magnificent Concert--God Bless John Wilson & MGM!
This DVD is full of MGM musical magic. John Wilson has done a magnificent job bringing to life music from the classic MGM musicals exactly as they originated (with singing chorus & vocals). This is quite an accomplishment as much of the original material had been destroyed. It's obvious the man loves his work. Simply watch as he conducts. He's like a kid in a candy store. The orchestra outdoes itself enjoying the challenge of the MGM arrangers with audience and players amazed that something from 1943 sounds as good today as it did then. There are points where the audience can't help but burst into applause. There is such joy in the delivery it surrounds and takes you to a unexpected musical high. Thank God they captured this on DVD. When it was shown on PBS it was cut. This is the complete concert. The singers do a fine job with a couple of exceptions. But if you know this material as well as I do you can't help but long to hear the voices of Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Fred...

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The Yeoman of the Guard

The Best Yeomen On Video
Clocking in at 79 minutes, this made-for-television production of Yeomen of the Guard is clearly abridged, but at least it was done with a knowledgeable and loving hand. Fortunately the very fine cast makes up for any omissions in the score. Alfred Drake and Barbara Cook are at their finest, and the rest of the cast is quite strong. Originally produced in 1957 for the Hallmark Hall of Fame program, and broadcast live in color, all that remains is a kinescope -which VAI has done an excellent job of mastering. The sound is clear throughout, and the video is surprisingly crisp for a kinescope. Some will dislike the added speeches for Jack Point (Drake) that provide additional continuity, but they do help the audience through all of the cut sections of the book and score. Fans are still waiting for a well-produced, well-cast, complete video of this Gilbert & Sullivan masterpiece, but in the meantime this long-lost version is the best thing out there, and very much worth adding to your...

A Classic Television Adaptation
This is the best adaptation of a Gilbert and Sullivan opera for television that I have ever seen. Its only fault is the number of cuts, given the fact that all had to be given in 75 minutes of broadcast time. Also, of course, the original color (which I understand was impressive for its day) is now gone since only a black and white kinescope version exists. But the picture quality is more than adequate, the sound is fine, and the performances are excellent. These performers were real stars in their day, and one can see why. The production is a faithful one (given the need for cuts, which are judiciously rendered) and the performers are uniformly excellent. Upon repeated viewings, this version keeps getting better and better.
I saw this production live on television as a child, way back in 1957, and I can appreciate it more now than I did then. I have been a G&S buff for many years, and a fairly fussy one in terms of disliking tampering with the original book and music, but...

AT LAST!
Four stars instead of five ONLY because this is not in color, and even remastered it looks a little shaky in spots.
This was either the second or the third time I ever saw G&S in any kind of performance -- I was twelve -- and moments of it remained amazingly clear in my memory for more than half a century. Having checked often through the years, I felt pure delight when it finally became available for home viewing, and I was not disappointed on seeing it again at last. Now, I recognize that Alfred Drake as Jack Point was a piece of unexpected casting; but I still love his interpretation. The Dame Carruthers and Wilfred Shadbolt come close to stealing the show. Having spent my lifetime as a G&S buff, I still feel this version works very well, and contains one new line that would be worth including in other productions. Highly recommended.

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L'Insoumis: The Enigma

Magnificent
I,too, have waited years for this to be available. Other then getting an old vcr copy transferred onto disc,or watching bits of it on Youtube or on Medicitv,it is enthralling to finally have this available. Richter loathed being filmed,the amount of footage of him available[so far,who knows what is in the archives?is scant,so Bruno Massignon accommodated him by using only a small, unobtrusive camera, and let Richter talk.Who was the greatest pianist of the century?Does it really matter?Richter in on any short list, we have hundreds of his recordings and this gorgeous film by Massignon. Richter ,though old and frail,does not let us into his private life,which,for me, is fine.Frankly,I do not care.His music, the wondrous touch he played with can almost stop time.And there are plenty of these moments interspersed throughout this film. As good as anything we are likely to ever get on this,yes, genius[he literally memorized every score he ever played,not just a mnemonic trick,by the...

A Treasure
This DVD is an absolute treasure. I stumbled on a section of the video on YouTube and had to have the whole thing. However, a few months back it was not available on DVD; only VHS. I kept checking back and and was pleasantly surprised to find the DVD on Amazon.

I had heard of Richter before but somehow, I did not realize how great he really was. The film artfully integrates interviews with Richter with clips of various concerts and rehearsals. Richter's playing is astounding! I can't believe it took me so long to discover this legendary genius.

I have never written a review on Amazon but felt compelled to write this one. Buy this DVD without hesitation, you will love it! Bruno Monsaingeon has created another masterpiece and an enduring testamanent to arguably the greatest pianist of the 20th century.

Worth the wait
We've waited at least five years for this dvd format. We were spellbound by the biographical information, excerpts of Richter's playing, and visual clips. Although tempted to convert our VHS, we bought this reissue to support those who invested time & money to make this available to US viewers.

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Beck: 10-12

Swagger
Before there was the girl with The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Joe Nesbo, Henning Mankell and all of the other excellent authors in the Scandinavian mystery invasion, there was the Martin Beck mystery series witten by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo published between 1965 and 1975. They are the Dashiel Hammett and Raymond Chandler of the Scandinavian school and their books stand up quite well against the best of Hammett and Chandler. This more modern television series captures the spirit of the books. While these are very tough minded mysteries, they offer more by way of humanistic values than we are used to seeing these days. Martin Beck, a middle aged policeman, is a bit neurotic - but his heart is good. The supporting character of the swaggering Gunvald Larsson, played by Mikael Persbrand, is one of the best characters in detective literature and television. Everything about this series is first rate and it is not to be missed by the lovers of Scandinavian noir or noir in general. As...

Beck is back and better
In dvd set # 4 Beck is back with better filming and just as good if not better stories from Stickholm. Gruvald is tougher and has a new female accomplice. This takes the series from Set one at year 1997 to 2001. Beck is still being shown on Sweeden Tv til 2010. You just have to wait for MHZ to make the dupes and pay off the production companies. Can't wait for set #5.

Nordic Noir
This is a police story as good or better than classic American detective television. Good studies of the main characters.

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Ring Without Words [Blu-ray]

A most enjoyable Ring Without Words perfect for non-purists especially!
Lorin Maazel considered requests to create a synthesis of Wagner's Ring cycle as a continuous `Ring without Words' twice before finally agreeing to the request made by the recording company, Telarc, in 1987. The resultant 75 minute recording proved to be a big seller and in Maazel's opinion it helped to create a new audience for the operas.

In creating this continuous synthesis Maazel attempted to produce a reduced version which followed strict chronological order and which introduced all the main themes and motifs without adding a single note not written by Wagner. In this he reinforced Wieland Wagner's view (Wagner's Grandson) that the essence of the work lies in the orchestral score.

Weiland Wagner's view is worth considering in this context and can be quoted as stated to Maazel at a rehearsal of the Ring as `The orchestra, that's where it all is - the text behind the text, the universal subconscious that binds Wagner's personae one to another and to the...

Melodic Synopsis of the Ring Soars
Whenever a great work is summarized, or truncated, the serious reader or listener is skeptical. The Ring in its glorious 16 hour stretch is a feast for the converted, but often is too much for a beginner trying to grapple with a large and complex cultural monument. The Berlin Philharmonic under the direction of Lorin Maazel plays direct quotes from the Ring that are lifted from the orchestral score of the four operas in the order in which Wagner composed them. The result is a highly organic presentation of the major leitmotifs and important orchestral interludes of the Ring. As such it is an important achievement which will help in promoting The Ring and winning for it a new generation of admirers.

I appreciate the fact that Maazel in stitching the excerpts together did not alter anything that Wagner wrote, nor did he add any superfluous material.

The result is a compelling sonic introduction to the musical building blocks of The Ring. I would have added...

Ravishingly beautiful
Wagner's Ring "without words" is not a novel concept: Stokowski and some of his fellow-conductors have performed orchestral "syntheses" of Wagner operas, especially during the 1960s and later. There is nothing sacrilegious about orchestral excerpts from operas, though some critics have sneered at the so-called "bleeding chunks". Orchestral excerpts and syntheses will particularly please those who, for one reason or another, have trouble sitting through these endless operas - especially when they are celebrated on consecrated ground in Bayreuth. Maazel and the Berliner Philharmoniker (in huge complement) have recorded this performance in 2000 in the Berlin Philharmonie in excellent video and audio. It is a 78-minute tour de force, for the then 70-year old conductor as well as for the musicians who follow him on the beat and who often have to play grueling long fffs or harmonically challenging passages. In brief: they all work a small miracle, and the performance turns out to be...

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