David Oistrakh [DVD] [2008] [NTSC]

Monsaingeon's Oistrakh film is indeed puzzling. Likewise the companion Richter and Fischer-Dieskau "bios", the musical contents of this TV-derived programme presents the viewer with stunning performances (excerpts only, though), both of chamber and of symphonic music, that amply secure Oistrakh's place amongst the really key violinists of the 20th century. Yet more so than in the Richter programme, Monsaingeon also opts for stressing the man's lack of fortitude before the USSR's communist bosses, picturing him as a weak character who hid behind his music-making and looked the other way whilst enjoying the favourable status his condition as "Artist of the People of the USSR" gave him during much of the Stalin reign, one of the darkest periods of European history, and those of his successors, much like what has amply been discussed regarding similar stances in musicians like Wilhelm Furtwängler, Herbert von Karajan, Karl Böhm or Richard Strauss during the nazi regime in Germany, or of other artists who cynically profited from a favoured position in totalitarian states in order to advance in their life (Dalí's flirtations with the Franco regime in Spain comes to mind, as well as Respighi's with the Mussolini Government). Oistrakh's lack of political courage, or perhaps his failure to defect to the West as commented by Menuhin in one of the programme's interviews, may well be deservedly criticisable, as well as his meek acceptance of the exploitation of which he was the subject by his government, be it economical (as the lion's share of his income from tours to the West was snatched from him by the Soviet authorities), political (as a sample of the Soviet regime's purported superiority in catering to the spiritual needs of its citizens) or as a propaganda vehicle (as in one of the film's initial sequences, probably one of the corniest ever filmed anywhere, the crème de la crème of soviet string players gather in an early Technicolour-washed strings-only adaptation of one of Rachmaninov's préludes from his Op.23), but I'd say that Monsaingeon's exaggerate concentration on that sad facet of this giant of a musician's personality ultimaltely proves the weak spot of the film. David Oistrakh may have been something of a midget politically speaking, but when he died in an Amsterdam hotel in 1974 the world lost a giant of a musician, and it is precisely his musical legacy what in the end solidly keeps him in a privileged place in our memory and not anything else.

This documentary offers just sufficient extracts from Oistrakh's playing to encourage one to go to the many audio recordings available so that you can hear just what a wonderful musician he was. The commentaries by Oistrakh's son, Igor, and his friends and fellow musicians, including Menuhin, Rozhdestvensky and Rostropovich, demonstrate that, despite his tacit support for the Soviet regime (which he believed had given him the opportunity to develop his talent) Oistrakh was a deeply sincere and lovable man, and a musician of genius.

I am so glad that I have bought this DVD. It is very obvious that the whole team who produced this biographical work, know their music well and have presented it well.

The most glorious footage can be soon of eg Yehudi Menuhin and Oistrakh playing Bach's Concerto for two violins (D minor), Second Movement. The humility and love and respect between these two virtuosos must be one of those moments that make life worth living. (I keep thinking though, that millions of people must be cursing that person in the audience who coughs during the performance.)
I wish this recording existed on CD.
Another heavenly moment is watching Oistrakh (viola) and his son (violin) playing the Third movement of Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante (K364), with Yehudi Menuhin conducting. Again this is not available on CD, but a recording of father and son playing together with Kirill Kondrashin conducting does exist. Being a musician must be the most beautiful life to live. But then to play with ones own son must be pure heaven?