Berlin Orchestra

The world's most illustrious orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic, marked its 125th anniversary in 2007 by commissioning this documentary covering the years when it was under Nazi control from 1933 to 1945. The moral ambiguities and failings of the period are evoked by a combination of archival footage and interviews with surviving performers as well as descendants of former members of the orchestra. The exclusion of Jewish musicians, choices made by individuals on how closely to align themselves with the regime, the orchestra's privileged status under the direct supervision of Joseph Goebbels, and the complex role of its most eminent conductor, Wilhelm Furtwängler, are all addressed in detail.

The world's most illustrious orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic, marked its 125th anniversary in 2007 by commissioning this documentary covering the years when it was under Nazi control from 1933 to 1945.

Teldec Classics International presents THE ART OF CONDUCTING - GREAT CONDUCTORS OF THE PAST - a unique program featuring sixteen of the great conductors of 20th century in rehearsal and performance. When the first instalment of 'The Art of Conducting', based on a BBC television series, originally appeared it was rightly acclaimed as a revelation. Not surprisingly, it won many prizes, including the 1995 Gramophone Award for Video.

Documentary in which soprano Danielle de Niese provides a unique backstage pass to her preparations for the role of Rosina in Glyndebourne's 2016 production of Rossini's masterpiece The Barber of Seville, one of the greatest comic operas, to mark the 200th anniversary of its premiere. The film gives an unparalleled insight into how a top opera professional shapes a performance, both musically and dramatically.

Documentary which follows young pianist James Rhodes on a journey to Warsaw, Paris and London to discover the women whose voices had such a powerful influence on the composer Chopin. These included Konstancja, a young soprano and the object of his teenage affections; Delfina, the sexually notorious Polish Parisian emigre countess; fellow composer and opera singer Pauline Viardot; and Swedish opera star Jenny Lind, who so affected Chopin in the final years of his life.

Dead men don't tell tales - or do they? Are there forensic clues left in the sands of time? Are there traces of archive film which even today are waiting to unveil their grisly secret? Not all the captivating and fascinating stories of military escapades in the 20th Century have been fully examined and many fascinating insights are still to be revealed and told.

Sergei Rachmaninoff is now widely regarded as one of the greatest 20th-century composers and pianists. He was born on April 1, 1873, on a large estate near the ancient city of Novgorod, Russia. His father was an army officer and his mother was a wealthy heiress. His father gambled, drank, and squandered his wife's money. He deserted his family when Sergei was nine years old.

Suzy Klein explores music's crucial role in the most turbulent years of the 20th century.

A documentary, providing a unique insight into the working life of one of the world's most acclaimed musicians, conductor Sir Simon Rattle. To mark his 60th birthday, we follow Rattle through a demanding year of rehearsals and performances with five different orchestras, from the South Bank to Taiwan, as he talks candidly about his life and beliefs. Through the lens of archive footage, we explore a remarkable journey spanning four decades, from his early days with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra at the tender age of 22 to his current post as chief conductor and artistic director of the Berlin Philharmonic.

The BBC Proms 2017 season comes to a close with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and their Finnish chief conductor Sakari Oramo leading proceedings live from London's Royal Albert Hall. Soprano superstar Nina Stemme performs music from Wagner's Tristan and Isolde, the BBC Symphony Chorus and BBC Singers mark 100 years of Finnish independence with a performance of Sibelius's glorious Finlandia and Kodaly's Budavari Te Deum is performed by soprano Lucy Crowe, mezzo Christine Rice, tenor Ben Johnson and bass John Relyea.