A two hour documentary on Johann Sebastian Bach. World-class musicians share their innermost thoughts and personal reflections on the power and genius of the most influential composer in history.

Part I of the series "Glenn Gould Plays Bach" is devoted to Bach's "Art of Fugue." Gould's performance is followed by a lively repartee with Monsaingeon, in which the pianist provides dazzling insights illustrated by music examples. He explains, for example, why he plays some pieces extremely slowly, and bemoans the "musicological overkill" of scholars who insist that Bach's keyboard music should only be played on a harpsichord.

Acclaimed pianist Víkingur Ólafsson shares his deep connection with music, from Icelandic songs to the works of Bach, Mozart, Rameau, and Philip Glass. He explores how these pieces shaped him and how his feelings differ when performing works like the Goldberg Variations or Bartok’s Folk Song. Ólafsson invites us into his world where musical knowledge, Nordic roots, and creativity merge in his interpretations.

Told in three unique stories, Songs of Love from Hawaii is a hybrid historical drama that uncovers the journeys of Hawaii's first Korean immigrants. From picture bride Lim Ok Soon to those isolated in Kalaupapa, their tales of love, sacrifice, and resilience come alive through stunning performances by world-class musicians and rare archival images against Hawaii's breathtaking landscapes.

Zubin Mehta is one of the most charismatic conductors of our time. A citizen of the world with many facets: Indian culture and Parsi spirituality, North American lifestyle and European musical tradition. The portrait accompanies Zubin Mehta to current places of activity and important stages of his life. [arte.de]

Study of the work of the conductor Václav Neumann and his creative process with the orchestra.

A look back at the violent conflict between the two leading figures of musical modernity, Arnold Schönberg and Igor Stravinsky, in the first decades of the 20th century. Although Arnold Schönberg and Igor Stravinsky both had a decisive influence on the fourth art, their creations remained diametrically opposed. While the Austrian developed the dodecaphonic method, placing the twelve notes of the chromatic scale at the heart of the composition technique to the detriment of tonality, his Russian rival based his practice on stylistic eclecticism. Their supporters formed two opposing camps, and the two composers - one the father of the Second Viennese School, the other of Neoclassicism - became, in the wake of their successes, the figureheads of a conflict that marked the history of music by its duration and intensity.

Documentary about Soviet-born pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy.