Wilhelm Kempff Plays Schumann: Arabeske, Papillons, Davidsbundlertanze (EMI Classic Archive 24), and Beethoven: Piano Sonatas No. 14 Moonlight, No. 17 Tempest, No. 27 in E Minor
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DVD details
Actor: Dino Ciani, Wilhelm KempffBrand: EMD
DVD: Region Code 0
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Black & White, Classical, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 112 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-02-10
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: EMI Classics
DVD Reviews of Wilhelm Kempff Plays Schumann: Arabeske, Papillons, Davidsbundlertanze (EMI Classic Archive 24), and Beethoven: Piano Sonatas No. 14 Moonlight, No. 17 Tempest, No. 27 in E Minor
DVD Review: An Absolute Delight
Summary: 5 Stars
The editorial review has given us a fair and precise overall picture of this DVD and for what not touched upon has been supplemented by the previous reviewer.
In view of the angle of the camera, and the proportion of time between the hands and the face etc, the photography of this DVD is not too bad in comparision to the average films of the same period. The close up of Kempff's face is rare and is unobjectionable. Unlike Richter whose bodily movements is so out of the norm, and unlike Uchida whose facial expressions could be quite distracting, Kempff is almost without motion and expressionless and yet it's graceful. His head is no more than a music note. But some how, his eyes gives the story away: he is deeply involved. And such close-ups serve as a clue to his musical thoughts. And the coverage of his fingers and touches are quite definitive. And it's only when we come to the film in colour, we will realize how much has been lost in the B/W.
Nevertheless, the ever changing point of view on the pianist and particularly the close-ups of his profile are quite unnecessary. The quality of the picture, however, is definitely below average, much worse than what we have for Cziffra filmed within a couple of years also in Paris. The sound, its also way below that of Cziffra and its barely acceptable only. Why is it not re-mastered?
Coming back to the more essential matters, I'm not sure if technique (or virtuosity) is the right yardstick for masters of this calibre, for technique is but a means to the end (music). Having said that, and as one of Kempff's fans, I confess I don't take delight in all his works. To me, some of them are not as inspiring as others. But there are some revelations here in his Schumann and his Beethoven Sonatas are far more poetic and less thunderous-- due perhaps to the smallness of venue or the the taste of the audience or his more advanced age, or a mixture, he was 73 and 75 when he recorded these two sonatas after all -- than those recorded a few years earlier in the mid 60s by DG.
Some regard him as the authority for Beethoven, yet I'm not too sure if the sonatas here are that authentic, if there is such a thing known as authenticity in music and just note how different he is from Backhaus and how he had taken things further from Schnabel and how it was taken further by Gulda... Having said that, one must say his playing here is immensely pleasurable and should appeal to most viewers as a absolute delight. What puzzles me was: why is Ciania dded here as a bonus? Honestly, I fail to find him close to Kempff at all.
More Wilhelm Kempff Plays Schumann: Arabeske, Papillons, Davidsbundlertanze (EMI Classic Archive 24), and Beethoven: Piano Sonatas No. 14 Moonlight, No. 17 Tempest, No. 27 in E Minor reviews:
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Description of Wilhelm Kempff Plays Schumann: Arabeske, Papillons, Davidsbundlertanze (EMI Classic Archive 24), and Beethoven: Piano Sonatas No. 14 Moonlight, No. 17 Tempest, No. 27 in E Minor
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