ABBADO, Claudio: Hearing the Silence (PAL)

Sketches for a Portrait by Paul Smaczny

Picture Format: 16:9 anamorphic
Sound Format: PCM stereo
Running Time: 67 mins
Region Code: PAL All
Booklet Languages: GB, F, D
Recording Date: Various

Cat. no.: DV-DOCABB

Claudio Abbado - Hearing the Silence conveys an intensely moving view of one of the leading musicians of our time. In several interviews, Abbado talks about artistic, musical and biographical aspects of his life. The film shows excerpts from rehearsals and concerts with some of his favourite orchestras. Statements from colleagues and friends are combined with views from his favourite surroundings and help to characterise the "silent thinker".

Film director Paul Smaczny had a very rare opportunity to get a glimpse of the immensely private personality of Claudio Abbado, described by many in the film as noble and elegant but also as a warm-hearted friend. Together with rarely seen historical filmed material and documents of him rehearsing and performing works by Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner, Debussy, Dvorak, Strauss, Stravinsky and Nono, these interviews make up an extensive portrait of one of the most important personalities in the classical musical world.

Bruno Ganz, Swiss actor and close friend, opens the comments and observations of the featured artists. They all speak of their work with the conductor and share a sense of awe for his achievements with orchestras like the Berlin Philharmonic or the orchestras he founded.

This marvellous filmed portrait, now available on TDK DVD, has won two prestigious festival prizes at major art film festivals in 2004: "Best Portrait" award (Prix du meilleur portrait) at the 22nd International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) in Montreal, regarded as the most important art film festival in North America, and the Premier Grand Prix at the 28th UNESCO International Art Film Festival (Festival International Du Film d'Art et Pédagogique) in Paris.