Celibidache rehearses Bruckner No. 9

Celibidache rehearses Bruckner No. 9

Münchner Philharmoniker, Sergiu Celibidache (conductor)

In his late years, Sergiu Celibidache (1912-1996) focused his attention on one particular composer: Anton Bruckner. In March 1991 he rehearsed Bruckner´s Ninth in unusually long and intense sessions with the Munich Philharmonics. Using unpublished footage, this film shows the individual stages of this tantalizing process of a seemingly familiar piece being rediscovered. Again and again Celibidache interrupts the musicians to communicate his sharply articulated thoughts. Theory and practical work aren´t opposed anymore. In addition to the rehearsals, the film also shows interviews with Celibidache and accompanies him to St. Florian, near Linz in Upper Austria, where Bruckner was buried.

Directed by Jan Schmidt-Garre