Documentary: Bruckner, Symphony No.8 in C minor, WAB 108

Six great composers, six landmark symphonies, a top orchestra and its star conductor Kent Nagano – these are the components of an extraordinary classical-music television event. Shot in High Definition, it takes a bold and innovative approach to the recording of classical music. Boom and tracking shots, quick cuts, remote-controlled cameras – stylistic means previously used chiefly for pop music recordings give the programs an up-to-the-minute look and feel. A team of more than 30 specialists makes sure that viewers enjoy a truly cinematic experience. The programs also go new ways by featuring entertaining, historically founded animated sequences illustrating episodes from the lives of the composers. Backstage interviews with the musicians and excerpts from their rehearsals let us share in the spirit of their music-making. Conductor Kent Nagano also relates what is of special importance to him in each work, and offers fascinating insights on the origin and context of the work in question. Documentaries: Bruckner, Symphony No. 8 – Mozart, Symphony No.41 ‘Jupiter’ – Beethoven, Symphony No.3 ‘Eroica’ – Strauss, Alpensymphonie (An Alpine Symphony) – Schumann, Symphony No.3 – Brahms, Symphony No.4

Lecture Recital with Walter Levin

Walter Levin was born and raised in Berlin, but emigrated to Palestine in 1938. In 1946 he began studying the violin under Ivan Galamian at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. He was the founder and first violinist of the LaSalle Quartet (1946-1988) and went on tours with this ensemble throughout the world. When the LaSalle Quartet ended its concert activity after more than 40 years, Levin turned to the teaching of young quartet ensembles and worked as a teacher and author in Europe. The Artis Quartet (Peter Schuhmayer and Johannes Meissl, violins; Herbert Kiefer, viola; Othmar Müller, violoncello) was founded at the Vienna Musikhochschule in 1980. The ensemble studied in Vienna and in Cincinnati with the LaSalle Quartet. After winning many awards at the beginning of the 1980s, the group began its international career. The Artis Quartet has been giving its own concert series at the Vienna Musikverein since 1988.

Pierre-Dominique Ponnelle about Shostakovich’s Symphony No.8

Pierre-Dominique Ponnelle was born in Munich and studied there as well as in Weimar with Otmar Suitner and in Berlin and Salzburg with Herbert von Karajan. From the start of his career, he has been active in the fields of symphony and opera alike, conducting at the theaters in Kassel, Marseille, Bratislava, Zurich and elsewhere. The spectrum of his symphonic repertoire ranges from the classical period to contemporary music. He has guest conducted numerous orchestras, including the Radio Symphony Orchestras of Baden-Baden, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Leipzig, Luxembourg…, the State Orchestras of Armenia, Greece, Slovenia, Lithuania, Ukraine…, the Philharmonic Orchestras of Strasbourg, Zagreb, Monte Carlo, Dresden, Munich and St. Petersburg. In addition, he has appeared at the Festival dei due Mondi in Spoleto and Charleston, as well as at other festivals. From 1992 to 1996 he was associated with the Minsk State Philharmonic Orchestra, first as Principal Guest Conductor and later as Principal Conductor. The main focus of his work there was on Brahms, Mahler, Bruckner and Shostakovich, as well as on large choral works. His successful activity there has been documented by CDs and television recordings. Ponnelle ended his collaboration with this orchestra in late 1996 and is presently active once again as a guest conductor.