Customer Reviews

Neeme Jarvi: 70th Birthday Jubilee

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This is a delightful DVD: the musical selections are appealing, all performances inspired and the flautist as well as the three Järvi conductors in great form. A sense of special occasion pervades the concert, and the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and Male Choir are on their toes and very good indeed. "Finlandia" stands out as particularly heartfelt, with Paavo Järvi, my favorite conductor on this disk. (If you don't have it yet, by all means get his Beethoven symphonies cycle on DVD with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, just released by Sony: the greatest musical event in years!) I don't know why Neeme Järvi selected Liszt's Faust Symphony for his jubilee concert. It is a slightly problematic piece, not always memorable, at times quite repetitive and not consistently gripping. If you like it, however, this reading may be a fine complement to Bernstein's super-charged performance on DVD. Järvi is more analytical and, with his wonderfully responsive Estonians, brings off the symphony very well. The finale is glorious, with perfect contributions from tenor Juhan Tralla and the magnificent organ. The film is great, the audio transparent, but it appears somewhat compressed in the Liszt.

What a treat to see a talented father (Neeme) and his gifted sons Paavo and Kristian conducting and daughter Maarika as flute soloist all on one DVD. In addition to the concert, the interviews with the Jarvi family provide entertaining and informative insights. It is also fun to see the conductors as they interact with the orchestra, which is different from what one sees as part of the audience in a concert hall. This DVD was a special find. Bravo!