# Documentaries about classical music, musicians, instruments



## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

I enjoy watching documentaries, with very different topics. Of course, also music. I'm interested which ones you like.

Recently I watched this one:








I found it a very inspiring docu to watch.

Some others I liked:
-In search of Beethoven
-Italian opera (BBC, 3 parts, presented by Antonio Pappano)


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

I have already made this thread may they merge ! ( Mods we need your help)


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## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

Yes, merging is ok. Can you give your link ?


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## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

This one? http://www.talkclassical.com/20151-some-great-composer-documentaries.html

It's only about composers....


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## MaestroViolinist (May 22, 2012)

The "Great Composers" documentaries about Mozart, Bach and Shostakovich. I haven't watched any about musicians strangely enough.


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

The Rubinstein complete box includes a documentary made by the pianist's son that is excellent. In it, Rubinstein talks about his experience as a child prodigy, and he is seen returning to Poland for the first time in half a century. It's a very honest account and the fact that it was made by a family member guaranteed better access than most documentaries.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

jani said:


> I have already made this thread may they merge ! ( Mods we need your help)


Your thread seems to be for composers documentaries, so I'll let this one stand on its own for anything else.


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## peeyaj (Nov 17, 2010)

Here are my favorites:
*
Richter: The Enigma*
(full video in Youtube) This documentary made ma appreciate Richter as a "human being" and a "genius pianist" at the same time. It is heartbreaking. The use of Schubert's D.960 sonata, 2nd movement at the end made me cry. Beautiful stuff.











*The Trout by Christopher Nupen*

Probably the greatest documentary made to a classical composition, Nupen's The Trout chronicles the rehearsal of five friends on Schubert's Trout Quintet. The Trout, his film of a performance of Schubert's Trout quintet by Jacqueline du Pré, Daniel Barenboim, Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zuckerman and Zubin Mehta on August 30th 1969 at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, became a benchmark of classical music broadcasting. This documentary is a must see to any classical music fan!


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## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

peeyaj said:


> Here are my favorites:
> *
> Richter: The Enigma*
> (full video in Youtube) This documentary made ma appreciate Richter as a "human being" and a "genius pianist" at the same time. It is heartbreaking. The use of Schubert's D.960 sonata, 2nd movement at the end made me cry. Beautiful stuff.
> ...


I've seen the docu about Richter and I liked it very much. Also the one of the 5 friends. And a great one on Jacqueline du Pre, also by Nupen, one of the most inspiring musicians ever.

Maybe we can add masterclasses ? Here is one by Rubinstein, this one is a true gem:






A living legend at the end of his life, struggling to find the right keys and remembering the music, and suddenly, he's back. Great moment.


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

The documentary on Rubinstein says that his problem at the end of his life wasn't so much in his ability to play, it was that he was nearly blind and had trouble maintaining orientation with the keyboard.


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)




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