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BARENBOIM ON BEETHOVEN premiered on March 22, 2007 on PBS (check local listings).
Legendary pianist, conductor, and recording artist Daniel Barenboim performed the complete Beethoven piano sonata cycle in eight concerts at Berlin's Staatsoper, one of the world's most beautiful opera houses. Now, a two-hour GREAT PERFORMANCES special, BARENBOIM ON BEETHOVEN, presents the entire fourth concert, which consists of five sonatas --including the audience favorite "Appassionata" ("Sonata No. 23 F minor," Op. 57). Also featured are excerpts from Barenboim's master classes with acclaimed young pianists Lang Lang, Jonathan Biss, and Shai Wosner. Barenboim, who has played the piano sonatas for more than 50 years, offers fascinating insights into a vital repertoire continually among the most popular works in the entire piano literature. The eight concerts were produced in high definition and pristine surround-sound. The other sonatas included in the concert special are "Sonata No. 5 C minor," Op. 10, No. 1; "Sonata No.11 B-flat major," Op. 22; "Sonata No. 19 G minor," Op. 49, No. 1; and "Sonata No. 20 G major," Op. 49, No. 2.
The Argentine-born Barenboim was still a high school student when he first performed the complete cycle of Beethoven sonatas. Since then he has played them around the world, most recently in Buenos Aires (2002), New York (2003), and Vienna (2004). Learn more about each of the featured works and what makes Beethoven's cycle such a towering achievement in the essay by contributor Tim Smith. Watch excerpts of an interview with Daniel Barenboim where he discusses Beethoven's music, the sonata cycle, and his master classes in Dialogue. Find all the selections from the concert in the song list, which also includes a link to Daniel Barenboim's performance of "Sonata No. 20" in its entirety.
Special funding for this program was provided by Judith B.
Resnick, Thea Petschek Iervolino, Victor and Sono Elmaleh, and Suki Sandler. Additional support was provided by the Irene Diamond Fund and the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust.
Top banner photos: Daniel Barenboim in performance at the Berlin Staatsoper.
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The maestro instructs Lang Lang during the master class. |
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Pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim. |
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The DVD is available. |
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