"Director: Bruno Monsaingeon"

• Organs, Toccatas And Fantasias | DVD | (31/08/2009) from £12.13   |  Saving you £-3.97 (N/A%)   |  RRP £8.16

  This 1990 programme can best be described as a musical journey through Baroque Europe in the company of Johann Sebastian Bach as performed by Marie-Claire Alain. The legendary French organist Marie-Claire Alain plays some of the composer's greatest organ music on the most magnificent and famous organs in Europe. As she plays she also gives a fascinating insight into their history and shares her deep knowledge and passion for these instruments and the genius of Bach. Bach travelled little during his lifetime but director Bruno Monsaingeon extends the geographical scope of Bach's activities by including organs best suited to his music. The instruments featured here at venues including Haarlem Groningen R''tha and Dresden are ones which Bach himself would have played or which were built to his specifications.

• Notes Interdites - The Red Baton and Rozhdestvensky:Conductor or Conjuror? | DVD | (28/04/2008) from £14.65   |  Saving you £8.34 (56.93%)   |  RRP £22.99

  Notes Interdites

• Bach - Swing, Sing and Think (Fray) | DVD | (10/11/2008) from £5.78   |  Saving you £9.20 (329.75%)   |  RRP £11.99

  This absorbing 95-minute documentary about the young French pianist David Fray is directed by Bruno Monsaingeon the distinguished filmmaker whose previous collaborations with Virgin Classics include DVDs with Piotr Anderszewski and Valery Sokolov and whose past subjects have included David Oistrakh Sviatoslav Richter Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Yehudi Menuhin and Glenn Gould. This DVD complements Fray''s second CD release on Virgin Classics a collection of Bach concertos and it includes Live footage from the audio recording sessions of the concertos BWV 1055 1056 et 1058 (the CD also includes BWV 1052 in D minor). Issues discussed on screen with Fray an artist of formidable intellectual energy include his relationship with the music of Bach and his views on directing an orchestra - here the Bremen-based Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie - from the keyboard The Austro-German repertoire is of great importance to the pianist whose personal heritage includes Czech Polish Spanish French Finnish and Jewish strands. He has said that: ''If over my life I can play all the works of Bach Mozart Schubert Haydn Brahms and Schumann then I shall be very happy!'' but describes Bach as ''a pinnacle; both a beginning and an end''. 2008 has been an important year for Fray bringing his New York debut and his marriage (in July) to the Italian actress Chiara Muti daughter of conductor Riccardo Muti. His first CD release on Virgin Classics a thought-provoking juxtaposition of Bach and Boulez came in may 2007 and in April 2008 it brought him the Best Newcomer Award from BBC Music Magazine. The recital also prompted Gramophone to speak of his: ''unselfregarding mastery and musical maturity and the ''intimate poetic spell'' cast by his Bach with its ''gorgeous tone and ravishingly shaded trills.'' The New York Times found it a ''superbly played and thoughtful program '' In both Bach and Boulez Mr. Fray displays an articulate touch splendid command of shadings and nimble finger work. The youthful freshness of the performances is especially appealing. Mr. Fray is not intimidated by either giant ... He brings a fluid sense of rhythm and much sparkle to Bach's D major Partita '' [the] account of Bach's D minor French Suite is also captivating '' while the ''playful crystalline and wondrously delicate account'' of Boulez''s 12 Notations'' was summarised as ''breathtaking''.

• The Art Of Violin | DVD | (02/04/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £17.99

  A documentary film by Bruno Monsaingeon devoted to the 20th century's greatest violinists, The Art of Violin really cannot be faulted. The same, incidentally, can also be said of the similar volumes which cover the piano and singing, so there's never been a better time to collect a personal audio-visual archive of some wonderful historical performers. The added dimension provided by the painstakingly collected film material (here featuring no fewer than 20 outstanding soloists) is of course of exceptional value when observing violin technique, and the diversity of approaches presented here in loving detail is in itself a subject for endless comparison. The material mixes archive performance footage, much of which one might never have dreamed existed, with interviews and documentary commentary. However, rather than turn the project into a museum piece, Monsaingeon includes contributions from contemporary figures such as Perlman and, shrewdly, Hilary Hahn--not that there'd be any doubt of the huge relevance of the material to any contemporary player or lover of the repertoire. An absolute must. --Roger Thomas

• Glenn Gould: Hereafter | DVD | (31/07/2006) from £29.68   |  Saving you £-4.69 (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  The most renowned Canadian classical performer of the 20th century pianist Glenn Gould remains one of the most fascinating and celebrated figures in all of music.A new retrospective of his life and work Hereafter synthesizes an incredible wealth of archival material from various sources some of it previously unreleased. Made as if narrated by Gould himself Hereafter is a landmark in filmmaking as well as a fantastic window opened to the world of one of music's true geniuses whose magic touches us from beyond the grave.A former child prodigy his piano artistry was unparalleled yet he often received less recognition as a virtuoso than as a troubled eccentric; a disconnected recluse notorious for odd habits his unique approach even extended to live performances with him slumped over the keyboard humming (sometimes singing) audibly as he played while conducting with his free hand.

• Richter - The Enigma | DVD | (25/10/1999) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £17.99

  This exemplary 154-minute documentary about the great Russian pianist Sviatoslav Richter includes some wonderful archive footage and a lot of worthwhile discussion of one of the more remarkable of 20th-century concert careers. Richter was an extraordinary combination of poet, mystic and superb technician, as fine in the more spiritually ruminative moments of Johann Sebastian Bach as he was in the more spectacular display pieces of Franz Liszt. He was also in an interesting place at an interesting time--able to interpret the works of Prokofiev and Shostakovich when they were freshly minted, and able to play alongside other great virtuosi like Oistrakh and Rostopovich (there is some wonderful footage here of the three of them performing the Beethoven Triple Concerto under Karajan). Richter was as fine as a soloist with great orchestras as he was as accompanist--we see him with Fischer-Dieskau in Hugo Wolf's quirky song "Der Feierreiter"--but his true love was the recital; much of his long career was taken up with an endless pilgrimage around the civic centres of Soviet Russia, spreading the word of great music. --Roz Kaveney

• Piotr Anderszewski Plays the Diabelli Variations | DVD | (10/09/2007) from £10.93   |  Saving you £3.06 (21.90%)   |  RRP £13.99

• Glenn Gould - The Goldberg Variations | DVD | (11/06/2001) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Pianist Glenn Gould made his New York debut on January 11 1955. His first recording Bach's Goldberg Variations took place that June. The record won instant acclaim. In 1981 Gould departed from his custom of not re-recording a work and 26 years after his first recording of the Goldberg Variations went into the same New York studio for his second recording of the work. Gould viewed the two interpretations as substantially different. French violinist and filmmaker Bruno Monsaigneon was present with his cameras during these sessions capturing a vivid and intimate portrait of one of the great artists of our time in the process of creating a landmark recording.

• Valeriy Sokolov - A Natural Born Fiddler | DVD | (07/08/2006) from £6.07   |  Saving you £7.92 (56.60%)   |  RRP £13.99

  A film by Bruno Monsaingeon about the talents of Valeriy Sokolov a young Violinist. Prologue Beethoven Violin Sonata No.7 Prokofiev Violin Sonata No.2 Ysae Violin Sonata No.3 'Ballade' Saint-Sans Introduction & Rondo capriccioso Bartk/Szigeti Hungarian Songs Skorikh Spanish Dance Dvork/Persinger Songs my mother taught me Op.55 No.4

• Alexander Markov - Paganini's 24 Caprices | DVD | (14/08/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £17.99

  This performance of one of the most challenging scores in the violin repertory Paganini's 24 Caprices is by the internationally renowned violinist Alexander Markov recorded in Reggio Emilia in 1989. Markov remains one of the very few violinists in the world who performs the entire set of the 24 Paganini Caprices in a single recital. His performance combines intense passion with extraordinary technical ability.

• Classic Archive - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau | DVD | (03/10/2005) from £16.55   |  Saving you £-0.56 (-3.50%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Featuring great performances from legendary artists of the golden age Classic Archive offers a unique historical glimpse into our classical heritage presented on DVD for the very first time. Lovingly restored using the finest state-of-the-art technology these generous full-length programmes include complete musical performances comprehensive booklets on DVD-ROM and rare bonus footage. Includes the following: Song Cycle to poems by Wilhelm Muller

• Anderszewski: Unquiet Traveller | Blu Ray | (28/06/2010) from £12.15   |  Saving you £17.84 (146.83%)   |  RRP £29.99

  EURA 3077934; EURARTS - Germania; Classica in genere

• Grigory Sokolov - Live in Paris | DVD | (05/01/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  A dim light picks out the outlines of the hall. Suddenly a massive shadow appears who moves swiftly over to the keyboard the only brightly lit surface to stand out from the large coffin-like box in the centre of the stage. There follows the vaguest of unsmiling acknowledgements in the general direction of the audience and then the music begins. Throughout the next two hours this music will keep its listeners enthralled with its extraordinary intensity as the audience senses the formidable physical pianistic musical and emotional presence of this most private of present-day pianists Grigory Sokolov.Track Listing:Ludwig van Beethoven - Sonata in E Major Op. 14 No. 1 Sonata in G Major Op. 14 No. 2 Sonata in D Major Op. 28 'Pastoral'.Komitas - Six dances for PianoSergei Prokofiev - Sonata in B flat Major Op.83Frederic Chopin - in C sharp Minor Op. 63 No. 3 in F Minor Op. 68 No. 4Francois Couperin - or Les MaillotinsJohann Sebastian Bach - Prelude in B minor (after BWV 855a)

• Francesco Libetta at La Roque D'antheron | DVD | (01/08/2003) from £15.55   |  Saving you £-0.56 (-3.70%)   |  RRP £14.99

  Les Pianos De La Nuit' is a collection of piano recitals performed live in the heart of Provence during the International Piano Festival of La Rogue D'Antheron in July and August 2002. Conceived specifically for DVD release these virtuoso performances by contemporary artists can claim authoritative status as classic 21st Century archival footage.Featured in 'Francesco Libetta':Richard Strauss:Standchen Op. 17 No.2 (arr. Walter Gieseking)Till Eulenspiegel Op. 28 (arr. Edouard Risler)Leopold GodowskyEtudes d'apres les Etudes de Chopin - Studies after Chopin's StudiesClaude DebussyL'Isle JoyeuseJohann Nepomuk Hummel:Rondo en mi bemol majeur/Rondo in E flat major Op. 11Franz Liszt:Totentanz S.525Gyorgy Ligeti:L'Escalier Du Diable (No. 13 from de Etudes pour piano %3E%3E IICamille Saint-Saens:Etude En Forme De Valse - Study in the form of a Waltz Op. 52 No. 6Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky:Pas de deaux de %3E From 'The Sleeping Beauty' (arr. Francesco Libetta)Charles-Valentin Alkan:%3E de la Grande Sonate %3E '20 Years' from the Grand Sonata Op.33 'The Four Ages'Leo DelibesPizzicato Polka de - from 'Sylvia

• Yehudi Menuhin - The Violin of the Centu | DVD | (02/10/2001) from £22.65   |  Saving you £-6.66 (-41.70%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Yehudi Menuhin: The Classic Archive

• David Oistrakh - Artist Of The People? | DVD | (26/08/2002) from £28.53   |  Saving you £-10.54 (-58.60%)   |  RRP £17.99

  Bruno Monsaingeon's David Oistrakh: Artist of the People? is a probing portrait of perhaps the most thought-provoking of modern violin virtuosi, and a good companion to his similarly revealing documentary on pianist Sviatoslav Richter. Although conversation with the man himself is minimal (Oistrakh died in 1974), Monsaingeon is able to draw upon the priceless reminiscences of those who worked with him, including his son Igor, conductor Gennady Rozhdestvensky, cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, protegé Gidon Kremer, and the late Yehudi Menuhin: their frank and sincere comments on Soviet society make for sobering listening. Equally important, the range of Oistrakh's repertoire is covered, from Bach to Shostakovich, in footage covering half a century of performance. The musicianship and humanity of a life dedicated to music in the face of an often ruthless establishment is powerfully and movingly evoked. This is a documentary that no-one interested in great music-making or 20th-century culture should miss. On the DVD: David Oistrakh: Artist of the People? reproduces its disparate sources with remarkable consistency in a 4:3 picture, and if the high level transfer of the musical extracts gives a harder edge to Oistrakh's sound than was the case, the Linear PCM Stereo itself is fine. There are subtitles in five European languages, and a useful background article by Monsaingeon, similarly translated, in the booklet. --Richard Whitehouse

• Beethoven: Diabelli Variations | DVD | (07/06/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Featuring Beethoven's thirty-three variations on a Waltz by Diabelli for Piano Op. 120.

• Classic Archive - Yehudi Menuhin: the Violin of the Century | DVD | (03/10/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Yehudi Menuhin: The Classic Archive

• The Art Of Piano / Singing / Violin | DVD | (25/11/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £39.99

  The Art Of Piano: This magnificent film includes some of the most fascinating historical and musical footage which has been selected from film and television archives around the world. From Ignaz Jan Paderewski in 1936 to Claudio Arrau in 1970 the program illustrates a broad mixture of interpretative styles as also displayed by Horowitz Rubenstein Cortot Gilels Richter Michelangeli and others. Fascinating and revealing commentaries on all eighteen artists are given by pr

• Song of Passion documentary (Classic Archive): Julia Varady | DVD | (26/03/2007) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £13.99

  Tracklisting 1. Prologue - Song Of Passion 2. From Verdi To Mozart 3. Music Servant 4. Staging 5. Rehearsal With Viktoria Postnikova 6. A Dark Cloud 7. Childhood 8. Opera Debut 9. The Exile 10. Dietrich Fischer - Dieskau 11. Like A Rock 12. A Voice Ffrom Outside 13. Epilogue 14. I. Der Engel - Wesendonck-Lieder 15. II. Stehe Still 16. III. Im Treibhaus 17. IV. Schmerzen 18. V. Tr''ume 19. Kab'' Znala Ya Op.47 No.1 20. Death And The Maiden D531