Paul Bowles

The outstanding literary talent of the American writer Paul Bowles (1910-99) was recognised internationally and he was also a composer of some note. After the Second World War he settled in Tangier and became increasingly reclusive. This film biography centres on a rare interview with Bowles, who reads passages from his books, including The Sheltering Sky.

Oedipus Rex

Stravinsky used a text by Cocteau, translated into Latin, for this opera-oratorio which he made deliberately statuesque in effect, its music a whole anthology of neo-classic styles, from Bach and Handel to Gluck. The masked and costumed singers barely move and a narrator explains the action. In this powerful production, recorded live from Amsterdam’s Carré Theatre, Bernard Haitink conducts the NOS Men’s Choir and the Concertgebouw Orchestra, with Neil Rosenshein and Felicity Palmer in the leading roles. The narration is available in English (Alan Howard), French (Jean Rochefort) and German (Mathieu Carrière).

A Concert of Polish Music

In this programme, recorded in High Definition Television at the Alte Oper Frankfurt, Krzysztof Penederecki, Poland’s leading contemporary composer, conducts the Sinfonietta Cracovia in performances of four of his own works: Sinfonietta for Strings (1992), Viola Concerto (1982/83), Capriccio for Oboe and Strings (1964), and Concerto for Flute and Chamber Orchestra (1992).

Quartet for Clarinet and Strings

In this programme, recorded in High Definition Television at the Alte Oper Frankfurt, Krzysztof Penederecki, Poland’s leading contemporary composer, conducts the Sinfonietta Cracovia in performances of four of his own works: Sinfonietta for Strings (1992), Viola Concerto (1982/83), Capriccio for Oboe and Strings (1964), and Concerto for Flute and Chamber Orchestra (1992).

Penderecki conducts Penderecki

In this programme, recorded in High Definition Television at the Alte Oper Frankfurt, Krzysztof Penederecki, Poland’s leading contemporary composer, conducts the Sinfonietta Cracovia in performances of four of his own works: Sinfonietta for Strings (1992), Viola Concerto (1982/83), Capriccio for Oboe and Strings (1964), and Concerto for Flute and Chamber Orchestra (1992).

Sacre du printemps/Symphonies for Winds

The rhythmic complexities of the Sacre are notorious but, in the hands of a master of modern music and one of the world’s top orchestras, the London Symphony Orchestra, the elemental barbarism of the music is thrilling. Boulez’s definitive reading of Stravinsky’s masterpiece was recorded live from the Alte Oper Frankfurt, in a performance specially staged for the cameras. The programme includes a short interview with the conductor about this landmark work (available in English, French and German), as well as a performance of Stravinsky’s Symphonies of Wind Instruments.

Bernard Haitink

Bernard Haitink, a leading figure in international concert halls and opera houses, is one of the most sought-after Mahler and Bruckner conductors of our time. This biographical documentary follows him as he prepares for and conducts concerts, operas, sound and television recordings. Music highlights include extracts from works by Bruckner, Mahler, Mozart, Schubert and Wagner. Archive material illustrates his long and illustrious career and maestro Haitink talks at length about his life, his music and conducting.

Jirí Kylian

The acclaimed Czech choreographer Jirí Kylián worked with the Nederlands Dans Theater for over twenty years and, under his direction the company established an international reputation. This intimate portrait charts his career, shows him at work, illustrates the development of his choreography with extensive extracts from his ballets, and includes archive film and contributions from colleagues. Kylián also talks about the evolution of his work.

The Schönberg Cycle: String Sextet Op. 4 (Verklärte Nacht)

In a series of specially-staged performances, The Schoenberg Quartet – Janneke van der Meer (violin), Wim de Jong (violin), Henk Guittart (viola) and Viola de Hoog (cello) – perform Schoenberg’s complete works for strings. The recordings benefit from the creative use of visual techniques, and the intimate camerawork, focus on detail and superb sound quality which studio conditions facilitate. The quartet is joined by Arleen Augér (soprano) for the String Quartet No. 2, and by Jan-Erik van Regteren Altena (viola) and Taco Kooistra (cello) for Verklärte Nacht.

String Quartet in D

27′

String Quartet No. 1 in D minor Op. 7

46′

String Quartet No. 2 in F sharp minor Op. 10

33′

String Quartet No. 3 Op. 30

33′

String Quartet No. 4 Op. 37

36′

String Sextet Op. 4 (Verklärte Nacht)

31′

String Trio Op. 45

21′

A 52-minute companion documentary is available to accompany these performances.

In this documentary, made to accompany The Schoenberg Cycle, the Schoenberg Quartet is seen preparing for their performance of the cycle in Los Angeles in 1989. Their tutor is the violist Eugene Lehner, a member of the former Kolisch Quartet, which, in ist day, worked extensively with Schoenberg, Berg, Webern and Bartók, premiering many of their works. Ronald, Lawrence and Nuria Nono Schoenberg, as well as staff at The Schoenberg Institute contribute to this fascinating film.