A breathtaking Documentary about the greatest Symphony of all times. To this day, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 is one of the most popular pieces of classical music in the world. But what is it about this global hit? The film charts the success of the symphony around the globe and encounters passionate amateur musicians and musical personalities. Watch as Greek conductor Teodor Currentzis works on Beethoven’s Ninth with his ensemble, MusicAeterna. Follow Chinese composer and Oscar winner Tan Dun as he creates a new composition inspired by the great Beethoven symphony. Experience the Orchestre Symphonique Kimbanguiste in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as they play the Ninth. Visit a favela in Brazil, where Beethovens’s music helps people get off the streets. Be amazed as a choir of 10,000 in Japan sings the final chorus of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, with great enthusiasm. Learn how Paul Whittaker helps make Beethoven accessible for deaf people. And find out how British DJ Gabriel Prokofiev performs a symphonic remix of Beethoven’s Ninth. A moving film – not just for the fans of classical music!
Magic Moments of Music – Lang Lang at Carnegie Hall
Lang Lang chose a wide-ranging program for his solo debut in 2003. After a more classical first half with works by Robert Schumann and Joseph Haydn, he interprets the Chinese composer Tan Dun after the intermission, finally culminating with Franz Liszt’s Don Juan Fantasy. Even as a small boy, Lang Lang is drilled to be a pianist by his father: He is to become the best piano player in the world. He is rarely allowed to see his mother so that she does not keep him from practicing. When he invites his father on stage at the end of his Carnegie Hall debut to improvise together on a Chinese folk song, one chapter of life ends – and a new one begins. This defining moment deals with the difficult relationship between freedom and the sacrifices we make for it. Lang Lang lives his father’s dream, which becomes his own dream. It is about musical perfection and personal relationships, about virtuosity and emotions – themes that are reflected in Lang Lang’s performance and in his life. Not only for Lang Lang himself, but also for his long-time companions such as conductor Christoph Eschenbach, composer Tan Dun and his teacher Gary Graffman, this concert was a magical moment. Pianist Claire Huangci has also known Lang Lang since a young age, and Bruce Liu is currently considered the new shooting star on the piano. Together with audio producer Christian Gansch and body language expert Stefan Verra, they retrospectively classify Lang Lang’s legendary recital evening.
Beethoven’s Ninth – A Symphony for the World
To this day, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 is one of the most popular pieces of classical music in the world. But what is it about this global hit? The film charts the success of the symphony around the globe and encounters passionate amateur musicians and musical personalities. Watch as Greek conductor Teodor Currentzis works on Beethoven’s Ninth with his ensemble, MusicAeterna. Follow Chinese composer and Oscar winner Tan Dun as he creates a new composition inspired by the great Beethoven symphony. Experience the Orchestre Symphonique Kimbanguiste in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as they play the Ninth. Visit a favela in Brazil, where Beethovens’s music helps people get off the streets. Be amazed as a choir of 10,000 in Japan sings the final chorus of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, with great enthusiasm. Learn how Paul Whittaker helps make Beethoven accessible for deaf people. And find out how British DJ Gabriel Prokofiev performs a symphonic remix of Beethoven’s Ninth.