Films about Bärenreiter
Searching for the True Beethoven
What did Beethoven want? Many amateurs find his handwriting difficult to read and even professionals need experience to decipher his autographs. However, a significant composer such as Ludwig van Beethoven, whose 250th birthday will be celebrated all over the world in 2020, deserves that one extracts every last detail from his manuscripts and all other available sources. This is the concept of "Bärenreiter Urtext". The new film "Searching for the True Beethoven. Bärenreiter Urtext Editions" gives some insight into how Beethoven editions are created. The protagonist is Jonathan Del Mar, a Beethoven expert who has dedicated much of his life to this composer. Del Mar’s editions have gained worldwide respect and acclaim. In the film he explains how he carries out his work so that conductor Sir Simon Rattle, pianist Igor Levit and the Pierrot Quartett can interprete and play Beethoven’s music just as the ingenious composer intended. These musicians are also featured in the film and demonstrate how exciting it is to incorporate Del Mar’s work in their performances.
Bärenreiter Urtext
Japanese translation (pdf)
Renowned conductor and musicologist Christopher Hogwood († 2014) takes you on a journey through Bärenreiter. Come with us behind the scenes. You will be given an insight into the editorial and production process of an Urtext edition. The history of this family-owned company is also revealed.
Musical works recorded for the film:
Johannes Brahms: „Albumblatt for Piano”
BÄRENREITER URTEXT, edited by Christopher Hogwood, BA 9606
Performed by Seiko Amano-Harborth in the Bärenreiter library
Johannes Brahms: „Trio for Violin, Horn (Viola or Violoncello) and Piano op. 40”
BÄRENREITER URTEXT, edited by Christopher Hogwood, BA 9435
Live recording of a masterclass with Christopher Hogwood at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt am Main (4 June 2012); participants: Chenjun Fan (violin), Cécile Dorchêne (violin/gut strings), Elen Guloyan (viola), Michael Preuß (violoncello), Yan Su (piano), Sung-Jae Kim (piano), Tobias Hartlieb (historical pianoforte), Catherine Eisele (French horn), Georg Köhler (natural horn).
Direction, Concept, Production management, Cut: Susanne Minke; Camera: Fabian Hentzen; Sound: Johanna Leistner; Colour correction: VERINET, München; Sound mixing: Echoplex, Berlin; Speakers: Marei Ahmia, Steve Taylor, Holger Franke; Photos: Johanna Leistner, Paavo Blåfield