Legato – The World of the Piano

Facts

Series of Documentary Portraits and Concerts, 720 min, 2006-08

Directed by Jan Schmidt-Garre

"Legato" is a series on the present renaissance of the piano. A new generation of pianists has made the instrument popular again and is filling concert halls around the world: pianists with a passion for virtuosity and a willingness to expand the conventional repertoire. "Legato – The World of the Piano" presents some of this new movement’s most fascinating artists, their individual approaches, their fresh ideas and their music.

Every episode portrays an artist and shows the point of departure and development of an interpretation of a piece formerly unkonown to the pianist.

Episode I
Boris Berezovsky – Change of Plans
Beethoven, Medtner, Llywelyn (new to Boris Berezovsky), Liadov

Episode II
Marc-André Hamelin – No Limits
Haydn (new to Marc-André Hamelin), Chopin, Debussy, Gershwin

Episode III
Roland Pöntinen – Listening to Yourself
Couperin, Rameau, Busoni, Saariaho (new to Roland Pöntinen)

Episode IV
Pierre-Laurent Aimard – Not Just one Truth
Bach, Beethoven, Carter (new to Pierre-Laurent Aimard), Benjamin

Cinematography: Thomas Bresinsky
Sound recording: Hartmut Tscharke
Editor: Gaby Kull-Neujahr

In co-production with Euroarts, SVT and NHK

Supported by Media+


Videos

Episode I – Boris Berezovsky – Change of Plans: Portrait


Episode II – Marc-André Hamelin – No Limits: Concert


Episode II – Marc-André Hamelin – No Limits: Conversation


Episode II – Marc-André Hamelin – No Limits: Portrait


Episode III – Roland Pöntinen – Listening to Yourself: Portrait


Episode III – Roland Pöntinen – Listening to Yourself: Concert


Episode III – Roland Pöntinen – Listening to Yourself: Conversation


Episode IV – Pierre-Laurent Aimard: Not Just one Truth – Concert (2)


Episode IV – Pierre-Laurent Aimard: Not Just one Truth – Concert (1)


Episode IV – Pierre-Laurent Aimard: Not Just one Truth – Portrait


Releases

On DVD with Euroarts including many bonus features: