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| Ode to Freedom: Symphony No. 9 | 
| Director: Humphrey Burton
Studio: Euroarts
Category: DVD
List Price: $24.99
Buy New: $15.64
You Save: $9.35 (37%)
Buy New/Used from $15.64
Avg. Customer Rating:  (13 reviews)
Sales Rank: 16333
Format: Classical, Color, Dolby, Dts Surround Sound, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD
Running Time: 90 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 2072038
UPC: 880242720382
EAN: 0880242720382
ASIN: B000FVQUNK
Release Date: July 25, 2006
Theatrical Release Date: December 25, 1989
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Description
Leonard Bernstein's historical concert in celebration of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 has long become almost as legendary as the revolutionary moment that it celebrated. Recorded at the beautiful Schauspielhaus right on Gendarmenmarkt in the centre of Berlin on Christmas 1989, it has now become available on DVD, along with a short documentary film as bonus. The fall of the Berlin Wall on November 1989 unleashed a wave of democratisation in Central and Eastern Europe that radically transformed the world order and Leonard Bernstein spontaneously accepted an invitation to conduct a performance to mark this new era. It was only fitting that East Germany's new-found freedom should be celebrated with Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. The monumental work, perhaps the world's most famous Symphony, was inspired by Schillers poem "Ode to Joy", a passionate eulogy to freedom. Adding to the symbolism of the event, Bernstein conducted an orchestra and chorus formed from musicians from both East and West Germany (Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden), as well as the United States (New York Philharmonic), Great Britain (London Symphony), France (Orchestre de Paris) and the Soviet Union (Orchestra of the Kirov Theater).
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 mixed quality November 4, 2008
Bernstein was past his height when he conducted this performance, and definitely showing his age, but it is still Beethoven's Ninth and it is well worth seeing.
A word of warning however: the quality of the vision on this DVD is particularly poor. Often the film is out of register, leaving ghostly lines around performers, and just a blurred mess when the orchestra is viewed as a whole. Frequently it is hard to see the nuances of Bernstein's facial expression because of this problem.
But the strength of this performance is its raw passion. It is not clinically perfect, but very moving.
To see Bernstein at his best, it is hard to beat his set of the Mahler symphonies - recorded in the mid 1970s..
 The last Symphonic Opus: a relevant historical document! September 8, 2008
This symphony is not only a huge and variegated tapestry of cosmic thinking, emblematic poetry and sublime penchant. Each one of the movements expresses much more than words can say. But what Bernstein legated us in 1989 with motive of the fall of Berlin's wall when was the first conductor to argue with reasonable evidence, the famous "Ode to joy" should be changed as "Ode to freedom" , because basically while the joy is an emotion, the freedom is a value. Under this point of view, the movement reacquires a still major connotation.
The more you listen Beethoven's Ninth, the more one realizes how difficult is to conduct brilliantly the famous Adagio without falling into sentimentalist outbursts of cheap exhibitions.
This was no more nor less the first recording that kept in mind this argument.
So, don't miss this DVD that defined a before and an after at the moment to judge, appreciate and listen this Op. 125.
 A Fine Performance, My Favorite B 9th , Buy It December 28, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
While I am basically a Pig in a China shop when it comes to criticizing Symphonies, I have loved this one for years. It is my favorite performance of The Ninth. I first bought this on Laser Disc many years ago, and spent many a cold morning warming up with it. I was more than pleased when it came out on DVD in DTS 5.1. Unfortunately, as noted elsewhere, the sound and video are not 2007 technology. However it remains Great and it is highly recommended.
 Bland performance December 20, 2007
0 out of 5 found this review helpful
I bought the VHS version of this the month it came out, and as a long-time student of every bar of the 9th, I hated this performance. At best it was very bland, and the Freiheit substitution totally destroyed what LvB had envisioned. This should get 0 stars for trying to be politically correct.
A Musical Must October 25, 2007
What an absolutely brilliant viewing and listening performance of (my all time favorite) classical music. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony was never more epic in its interpretation than by the venerable Leonard Bernstein. The one thing missing from the DVD was the accompanying interview given by the Maestro in which he emphasized his insistance in conducting a multinational ensamble of musicians and vocalists. Watching it was like being in the concert hall itself!
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