Daniel Barenboim shares his personal insights into Debussy’s music and his understanding of the “Art of the Prelude”

Debussy wanted his piano preludes to be played and listened to privately. This film pays tribute to his wish, featuring Daniel Barenboim interpreting the first book of these delicate musical pieces in a visual reenactment of the composer's time at the turn of the century. Architecture, old photographs, a dancer and pictures of nature appear, evoked by the music and the personal circumstances of the composer's life, with comments by his friends.

The use of quotations from French poetry, which inspired the music as well as the composer's own thoughts and diary entries, give the film an intimate touch.

Picture: 16:9 – NTSC
Sound: PCM Stereo
Language/Subtitles: English, German, French, Spanish
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Running time: 59 mins
Production: 1999