Ravel • July 9

A beautifully made homage to the great French composer Maurice Ravel. Many of Ravel’s foremost interpreters, Charles Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Alicia de Larrocha, Victoria de los Angeles, Jean-Phillipe Collard, Augustin Dumay, and others, capture the sensuality, sweetness, and power of Ravel’s works. Also rare home movie footage, photographs, and unpublished letters give the film deep insight into Ravel’s elusive life. Directed by Larry Weinstein

Mists, Fairies, & Fireworks • July 10

Debussy's 24 Preludes belong to the greatest piano music of the twentieth century, presenting a formidable challenge to pianists and a delight to music lovers. Here British pianist Paul Roberts, one of the world's foremost authorities on Debussy, explores the distinct voice of the master, whose subtle musical language conjures up sensual, as well as emotional, experiences. Included on the DVD are Roberts' in-depth analyses of the 12 Preludes of Book I, with references to the 12 Preludes of Book II, and compelling full performances of The Girl With the Flaxen Hair, What the West Wind Saw, Footsteps in the Snow, Sails, and Minstrels.

Knowing the Score • July 12

In this provocative video presentation, distinguished pianist Malcolm Bilson poses the question, “Do we really know how to read urtext editions, and how can this lead to expressive, even passionate performance?” In a lecture before a live audience, aspects of notation of Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Prokofiev, Schubert, and Bartok are examined, showing clearly that there is far more expressive information in these scores than is usually presumed.

Glenn Gould Hereafter • July 12 & 13

A retrospective of the life and work of Glenn Gould, Hereafter synthesizes an incredible wealth of archival material from various sources, some of it previously unreleased. Made as if narrated by Gould himself, Hereafter is a landmark in filmmaking as well as an enlightening window to the world of one of music’s true geniuses, whose magic touches us from beyond the grave. Even those who already know and appreciate Gould will find new discoveries in directeor Bruno Monsaingeon’s most recent film.

Daniel Barenboim, 50 Years on Stage • July 14& 15

This documentary tracks the pianist-conductor Daniel Barenboim from summer 1999 through Berlin, Chicago, Tel Aviv, and Weimar up to his stage anniversary in Buenos Aires in summer 2000, and ends with his controversial performance of “Prelude and Liebestod” from Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde in Jerusalem in summer 2001. It is a film about music, about music making, and a celebration of a remarkable personality.