Search - Anne-Sophie Mutter - The Mozart Violin Sonatas on DVD

Mozart Violin Sonatas by Mutter

Fred Dweck MD | 10/15/2007

(2 out of 5 stars)

"A beautiful rendition of the Mozart violin sonatas by two excellent performers! It is a total shame and extremely disturbing to view the poor choice of camera angles with rapid shift of images. It's a total waste of money. I could enjoy the same performance on CD and do away with the dizziness.






"

Great performances of magnificent music

Dr. J. J. Kregarman | Denver, Colorado United States | 10/31/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Yes, visually this DVD is a flop for the reason given, so I decided to not watch the screen. As a result I was quite pleased with this DVD which has all of Mozart's mature sonatas in performances as fine as I have ever heard and in excellent sound. It's a great buy for the music!"

Ruined

Tim Brain | WA United States | 10/22/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"How could you possibly undo these landmark performances? Incredibly poor judgement in the editing room, in my opinion has accomplished just that.

In historic performance films, the view was fixed at 45 or 60 degrees from the action, and there you were. You got to see it played, if a little stodgy on dynamics. Today, with HD cameras panning every inch, the danger now seems to be the opposite. And that danger is fully realized in this "visual feast" gone terribly wrong.

Somebody's notion was evidently that the closer we could be, from more angles and more often, the better. So it's just hard jumps from one extreme close-up to another. Throughout. The sense of an integrated collaboration in this music, the lyrical exchange of dialogue is annihilated. I had to avert my eyes through much of this, mentally willing the camera to please BACK OFF. I was tickled by the reviewer who states "...this DVD is a flop for the reason given, so I decided to not watch the screen. As a result I was quite pleased with this..." though I'm not inclined to agree.

One of those 47 camera angles is gently over Mutter's right shoulder, clearly showing her expression and playing, her swaying movement in that lovely dress and beyond, encompassing the full flight of her companion's accompaniment. I could have done with fully half the footage from right there, instead of this senseless barrage of nostrils and fingernails.

Why still three stars? You could have filmed this with a cell phone and still had something of value. I'd love to be more on the majesty and immortal grandeur of these performances. Given exactly that, however, this disastrous post-production is so unfortunate I actually think this DVD should be completely reissued."

A Sheer Delight

Dan D. Mish | Talent, OR. | 11/15/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This collection of Mozart Sonatas is absolutely great. I suppose one might say that it would have been better to have a tad less editing, however, this is a grain of critical sand in an ocean of beautiful performances. The fact is: this is first rate "live" music by two wonderful musicians."