by Daniel Barenboim (Author)
A LIFE IN MUSIC reviews five decades of the rich and uniquely varied musical life of Daniel Barenboim. A child prodigy as a pianist and a virtuoso conductor of symphonies and opera, he has known and worked with many of the most distinguished and exciting musicians of the 20th century, including Rubinstein, Klemperer, Furtwangler, Zubin Mehta, Pierre Boulez, Fischer-Dieskau, Pablo Casals and not least his own wife Jacqueline du Pre, among many others. He still insists on undertaking grand projects that only a madman or genius would contemplate', The Times noted in August 2001, and recent years have included his work at the annual Wagner Festival in Bayreuth; his involvement with the rebirth of the State Opera House in Berlin; taking over from George Solti's 22-year reign in Chicago; his summer festivals at Weimar in Germany where young Arab and Israelis can play music together; and his worldwide travels. He gives us his trenchant thoughts on Israel today, the problems facing young musicians and the changing world of music at the beginning of the 21st century.
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 256
Edition: 2nd Revised edition
Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Published: 12 Sep 2002
ISBN 10: 0297646494
ISBN 13: 9780297646495
Book Overview: Daniel Barenboim is a supremely gifted virtuoso, who was married to the celebrated cellist Jacqueline du Pre (the subject of the controversial 1999 film Hilary and Jackie ) Unlike so many child prodigies, Barenboim has never looked back and has always taken on new challenges Barenboim's championship of peaceful coexistence with the Palestinians is highly contentious, as is his insistence on playing Wagner in Israel Published to mark the author's 60th birthday (in November 2002)