Jean Sibelius, 1865-1957, and: Itzhak Perlman: Virtuoso Violinist (review)

Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Christopher Nupen offers contrasting approaches in these two films. Jean Sibelius is an austere as the composer's music, while Itzhak Perlman: Virtuoso Violinist is as lively as its subject. The former provides a good overview of Sibelius but is unlikely to tell serious students of music anything they do not already know. Itzhak Perlman excels at capturing the man's personality.

Narrated by Nupen, who also provides new introductions to both DVDs, Jean Sibelius, made in 1984, is divided into two fifty-two-minute segments, "The Early Years" and "Maturity and Silence." Writer-director Nupen uses photographs, brief film footage of the composer, and scenes from the Finnish countryside to illustrate his commentary about Sibelius' life. Nupen explains how Sibelius was influenced by Finnish folk music, mythology, and nationalism but is never specific about these influences, nor does he demonstrate them clearly with the musical selections.

The biographical material alternates with long passages from the composer's major works performed by the Swedish Radio Sym phony Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy. The music, words, and images are meant to coalesce yet do so only occasionally. Too often Nupen falls back on vague generalities such as saying the symphonies are great because of Sibelius' "tireless quest for unity." Nupen is better when describing the effects of the composer's drinking and moodiness. The grainy images of cloudy Finnish vistas reinforce Nupen's gloomy view of Sibelius. The lone extra offers excerpts from this and other Nupen films, including ones devoted to Andrés Segovia, Jacqueline du Pré, Nathan Millstein, Evgeny Kissin, and Franz Schubert.

Despite being stricken by polio when he was four, Itzhak Perlman is anything but gloomy. Nupen's fifty-nine-minute 1978 film presents the violinist's life in roughly chronological order, interspersed with interviews with Perlman and his wife, Toby, who charmingly describes his inability to assume any household responsibilities. In addition to clips of Perlman's performances, he is seen playing with his children, driving near his home in Aspen, Colorado, playing tennis with Toby, fishing, and teaching students at the Aspen Music Festival and School. Though Nupen does little to illustrate why Perlman is an outstanding musician, the violinist's pleasure in his music and his sunny optimism are infectious.

Extras include a 1969 performance of Schubert's The Trout by Perlman, du Pré, and Daniel Barenboim, with the violinist's recent memories of du Pré, 1978 BBC radio performances, filmed by Nupen, Johann Sebastian Bach's Partita in E major and Partita in D minor, and another compilation of scenes from Nupen films, including ones devoted to Ashkenazy, Pinchas Zukerman, Ottorino Respighi, and Modest Mussorgski. Useful print guides accompany both the Sibelius and Perlman films. The only flaw in the Perlman package is that the 1978 film was transferred to DVD using an occasionally scratched, dirty negative. Students may find Jean Sibelius a bit dry but are likely to consider Itzhak Perlman: Virtuoso Violinist delightful.