Stars: Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta

Director: Peter Berggren

Summary: Featuring Zubin and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, of which he was appointed Music Director for Life in 1981, rehearsing Richard Strauss' 'Till Eulenspiegel'.

Zubin Mehta, Director for Life at the Israel Philharmonic, leads a rehearsal of Richard Strauss' TILL EULENSPIEGELS LUSTIGE STREICHE.

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Without being at all tricksy or showy, Arthaus Musik's In Rehearsal documentary series offers enthralling, profound insights into music-making of the highest calibre. In this case, with Zubin Mehta conducting the Israel Philharmonic in a rehearsal of Strauss' Till Eulenspiegel, those insights are sharpened by the knowledge that the orchestra is playing the piece for the very first time: the music of Richard Strauss had been banned in Israel until 1994 as a reaction to his involvement with the Nazi party. Thus, though the initial run-through is somewhat scratchy (and causes an hilariously neurotic hissy fit on the part of the principal horn player), the fact that the ensemble has no performance tradition of this piece means that every phrase has to be taken apart, explained, and put together again. We therefore see Mehta's ability to make a phrase more comic or fuller of pathos by simple nips and tucks of note lengths, and hear his reasons for shaping the piece the way he does. The documentary also offers a window on Mehta's genial but steely relationship with the orchestra: when he criticises the first flute (who is auditioning for a place in the orchestra), her terrified face is like a portrait by Francis Bacon.

On the DVD: Mehta rehearses the orchestra in English, and the documentary has subtitles in French, German and Spanish. There are also four trailers for other Arthaus music videos. --Warwick Thomson

Aspect Ratio:	4:3
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Subtitles:	French, German, Spanish
Release Date:	February 4, 2002
Runtime:	55 minutes
Certification:	Exempt.
Catalogue Number:	100 286
Keywords:	Music, Till, Strauss, Orchestral, Rehearsal, Mehta, Zubin, Classical, Performing, Choral, Vocal, Arts, Eugenspiegel
Genre:	Music/Performing Arts