Customer Reviews

Zubin Mehta: In Rehearsal

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Having seen many videos of rehearsals, I was still surprised by this rehearsal by Zubin Mehta of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. It's not simply a matter of watching a conductor tell the orchestra what he wants to hear Richard Strauss' Til Eulenspiegel, and then watching them produce it.

Here, Zubin Mehta describes what he doesn't like and then LISTENS. Next, he gives further direction as to changes he wants to hear--sometimes again and again, until all understand what he wants. In addition to the technical details of playing the music, Mehta has to contend with a certain amount of reluctance or resentment at the Israel Philharmonic playing German music--more specifically the music of Richard Strauss, who was once music minister for the Third Reich. Actually, Strauss fought the Nazis when they attempted to oust his librettist, Stefan Zweig--the best librettist in Nazi Germany--because Zweig happened to be a Jew. Strauss argued that he was simply the best librettist--that his race or religion shouldn't matter. In the end, the Nazis ruled the day. I certainly don't blame Israelis for harboring a lingering resentment of all things Nazi. I just wish they could temper their understandable pain with some opening of the door into the world of one of the world's greatest symphonic composers--Richard Strauss.

Zubin Methta here (actually in 1996) attempts to open that door, and those who love and appreciate the music of Strauss may hear "insights" into aspects of Til Eulenspiegel previously unnoticed. Zubin Mehta takes on the difficult task of tearing down walls and helping the Israeli orchestra visit some music they had eschewed for too long.

One of the reviewers said that this video is for amateurs, but not for professionals. Being a professional conductor myself, I have a completely opposite view. This is a spectacular presentation from start to finish. What this other reviewer seems not to understand, is that conducting is not mostly with the face or the hands. The art of conducting is primarily the art of "the EAR". If you have ears and you hear his comments (and also see plenty of his conducting", there is much, MUCH to learn from this video. I recommend any conductor or player who plays this music to watch and hear this video HIGHLY!

This is yet another rehearsal this time with Zubin Metha and The Israel Philharmonic.

Richard Strauss's music was banned from performance in Israel. He was associated with the Third Reich for a time,and anti-semiticism as Wagner. The Israeli musicians here speak about this and the memories this music does and may suggest,Wagner even more in that his operas were utilized by the Third Reich as proclamations, and the characters in his 'Ring' for example are and can be representation of this anti-semiticsm, with the roles of Mime and Alberich.(Certainly Wagner's audiences knew of these associations)

I have no problem with this ban especially when you think that there are countless modern masterpieces that are waiting for performances,there is no shortage of music;and it is no great loss not to have played Wagner.

Strauss by the time he wrote 'Till Eulenspiegel' was a virtuoso orchestrator, and this work as Mehta explains really is a few motivic ideas, the opening forever memorable motive played countless times by the French Horn is tossed to the Eb Clarinet, and others, a Violin solo as well. So the work breaks the orchestral canvas to feature soloists. The Israeli Orchestra here has a nicely wonderful lean sound, very clean crisp, you hear everything, and that makes Mehta's job somewhat easier. The rehearsal is technical,although he makes brief remarks on the programmatic elements of the "prankster" here how he must impart this "mischevious" sense to the music. "You were a bar early", or ", , , No on the beat this time", make the "G" a little longer French Horns". You come away really knowing this work. We then see Mehta with earphones listening to the recording, and advising the technician to make the strings a little darker.

I bought this product harboring great hopes to learn how a great conductor uses his hands to make music. Since Mehta is so famous for his hands, I ordered it in earnest. The company I ordered from is an example of greatness as to the way it delivered the product, in 4 work days via USPS. Thank you Cheap-CDs!!

Technically the DVD is good. Video production is fine, colors and resolution good, no ghosts, no obscure spots, etc, no image distortion (geometry and proportions are good all the time). Sound is also good, speech clear and always audible, microphone placement renders the orchestra well.

Now, the title of the DVD is Zubin Mehta in Rehersal with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. As far as I am concerned, I would have retitled the DVD as follows:

"Some members of the Israel Philharmonic in Rehearsal. Collaborating conductor: Zubin Mehta".

For, that's what happens on this DVD. What one sees most of the time is four of the Orchestra's members in different positions, their faces and expressions. Yes, we see Mehta from time to time, his face that is. As I understand, conductors use their HANDS to conduct, not their face. Yes, facial expression helps SOMETIMES, but most of the time it disturbs because the musicians don't really know what to look at: the face or the hands. Conducting technique firstly and foremostly means the way the conductor uses his HANDS to communicate meter, rithm, phrasing and articulation. Expression is mostly used in movies helping to perpetuate the myth of "the sensitive artist living the work" to amateurs and music lovers.

When Mehta's hands are shown, they usually disappear after 1 to 1 1/2 seconds and this showing in itself is rare indeed. Besides Mehta's face, one can witness cheap photographic effects with the slide trombones and filming the horn section from below quite a few times. Does one want to see this? To what end? The horns are shown an inordinate number of times even when they don't have any important thematic part to play.

The contrabassoon has a prominent role to play on the DVD as well. I'd like to know to what end.

There is some musical analysis presented. Yeah, we know that there's development in Till. We also know there are 2 themes. What we're not shown is how Mehta expresses this with his hands.

This DVD is recommended for music lovers and amateurs. For the student and professional who is after conducting technical clues it's definitely and emphatically NOT.