Search - The Verbier Festival & Academy 10th Anniversary: Piano Extravaganza on DVD

A Must

I. Martinez-Ybor | Miami, FL USA | 01/24/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This belongs in all piano and string collectors' libraries. It is the sort of item one will certainly return to and share with music-loving friends.

The Verbier Festival, in a truly beautiful Swiss village (are there Alpine Swiss villages that are not beautiful?) is one of the lesser known but most prestigious summer festivals in Europe.... it simply attracts the best of the best to teach and guide the students who attend the Festival Academy.

Without detracting in any way from the feat of Martin T:Son Engström, Verbier's founder, something which should be acknowledged repeatedly, is the tremendous debt of gratitude we music lovers owe Martha Argerich and Gidon Kremer. Their ability to bring together, not only in Verbier, but in various other venues as well, the, arguably, "best and the brightest" of musicians to play together for the sheer joy of music-making is unparalleled in my lifetime. Perhaps Marlboro, in the days of Rudolf Serkin and Casals was an approximation, but not to the degree that Kremer and Argerich, together and independently of each other have achieved. The artistry and happiness their chamber music playing bring can be enjoyed in many live recordings that have stemmed from these gatherings (e.g. the Argerich Schumann celebration and Kremer's various Lockenhaus outings). These are musicians coming together to celebrate the art of music: their joy is infectious.

As to the DVD: it records the Festival's 10th anniversary which coincided with it's founder's 50th birthday. No solo playing is offered but there is music for piano four hands, 2-pianos 8 hands, 4 pianos and string orchestra, and, astonishingly, eight pianos. Imagine the array of pianists: Martha Argerich, Evgeny Kissin, Emmanuel Ax, Leif Ove Andsnes, Mikhail Pletnev, Claude Frank, Staffan Scheja, Lang Lang and Jimmy Levine. Imagine the string orchestra: Gidon Kremer, Vadim Repin, Renaud Capuçon, Sarah Chang, Ilya Gringolts, Yuri Bashmet, Nobuko Imai, Christian Tetzlaff, Nikolaj Znaider, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Mischa Maisky, Boris Pergamenschikow, Patrick de los Santos. In my lifetime I do not recall so much soloist talent gathering to play with each other in any one stage..... not even the Carnegie Hall "Concert of the Century."

And the music! From the sublime to the bombastic, one draws energy from witnessing the rapport, dedication, and, again, joy, these masters bring to playing together, and of course the musical results they achieve. In purely musical terms, highest points for me were the Mozart Sonata for piano, four hands, K.521, (Argerich and Kissin), and the Bach concerto for four pianos, particularly the ecstatic second movement (Pletnev, Levine, Kissin and Argerich). Everything is at least interesting and never less than fun..... when the eight pianos come together I particularly enjoyed the Rossini Semiramide Overture and the Flight of the Bumble Bee.

Get this. I assure you you will enjoy it many times over. And our thanks to all these wonderful musicians and to Mr. Engström for making it all happen.... and to BMG for producing such a fine DVD.... the DTS is great.



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What's wrong with fun?

ronaldbrian | Quezon City, Philippines | 11/01/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What's wrong with pianists having fun? I own a copy of this dvd, and I have to say it's a thrill to see pianists playing with so much JOY and so obviously enjoying themselves. Piano playing doesn't have to be dry, grim, and determined all the time. There are Beethoven sonatas for that. The performances are top rate--how can it be otherwise, with Martha Argerich, Kissin, Levine, Ax, and other name-droppables on the line. Plus, the Happy Birthday variations ROCK! A must-have for all piano enthusiasts."

Great

Jesus Daniel Lima Candeias | Caracas Venezuela | 01/28/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Is a great pleasure to enjoy music write for piano four hands, 2-pianos 8 hands, 4 pianos and string orchestra, and, eight pianos, all having a lot of fun playing and producing outstanding sound effects derivated from special coordinated performance, tunning and music writing. I think young early pianist students should see some of the views of six hands playing piano keyboard with diferent styles, ages and technics, but all in good shape and well coordinated."

Indeed, a piano extravaganza

Edwin Deveny | Palos Verdes Pen., CA | 04/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have never heard such an assembly of keyboard greats in such a magnificent
endeavor as this. There is nothing but perfection, musically and technically. My favorites were the Bach Concerto for four keyboards and the Mozart Sonata for piano duet. It would be so difficult to single out any one artist above the others. Every true piano afficionado should treasure this one disc."