Magic Moments of Music – Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli plays Ravel

Synopsis

The name Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (1920-1995) is still inextricably linked with Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major. The way Benedetti Michelangeli articulates the trill chains, for example, is considered unique. At the same time, Benedetti Michelangeli is a great mystery: he was notorious for his numerous cancellations. The smallest discrepancies on the instrument, a small change in the room climate from rehearsal to concert were enough to cancel a performance. His reputation, as one of the greatest of his guild, is undisputed. Pianist Krystian Zimerman remembers his artistic exchange with Benedetti Michelangeli. For Pierre-Laurent Aimard, the Italian pianist is a declared source of inspiration as a magician of acoustics. Serge Celibidache, the son of Sergiu Celibidache, provides insights into the special artistic friendship of the two perfectionists. While Marina Baranova goes in search of Benedetti Michelangeli’s grand piano in Bavaria, Cord Garben, his producer, remembers the not always easy collaboration. Jazz musician Stefano Bollani, an admirer of Benedetti Michelangeli, explains how the composer Ravel was inspired by jazz music.

Additional Info

• No: 8994
• Composer: Maurice Ravel
• Conductor: Sergiu Celibidache
• Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra
• Artists: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Sergiu Celibidache, Krystian Zimerman, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Lang Lang
• Production year: 2025
• Run time: 00:52:00
• Director: Dag Freyer, Philipp Quiring
• Producers: sounding images, C Major Entertainment, ZDF/ARTE
• Format: HDTV 16:9