Watch: Ozawa’s daughter Seira beams his concert to a spaceship
NewsThe complete film of Seiji Ozawa conducting Beethoven‘s Egmont overture from a wheelchair has been beamed to a grateful Japanese astronaut in the stratosphere. It is introduced by his daughter, the musician Seira Ozawa. It’s a pretty snappy performence by the Saito Kinen orchestra.
You see it here first on earth.
I will never stop to hear the music of Ozawa especially his LP Ravel’s box with the BSO. it’s a kind of music treasure I found few month ago to cherish.
I am glad the elderly Ozawa is able to enjoy music, but a little troubled to see this video. Is he conducting, or following the music?
you’re right Sir..(the worst is Abbado conducting the Brandenburgs and doing…? nothing!)
Maybe you miss the point.
He has Alzheimer. Not exactly appropriate to make jokes about “snappy performences” (performances)
The International Space Station, where Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata was viewing this performance, is far higher than the “stratosphere.” Its altitude is about 420km, while the upper limit of the stratosphere is 50km.
(Posting this again for your viewing pleasure, since the link may have been overlooked from the Nov. 28th article:)
IF ANY OF YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS, start at 4:00 and be amazed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw90sezjgCI&list=WL&index=17
Well that was cathartic. An inspiring testament to the fact that music in general, and Beethoven in particular, never stop speaking to us, regardless of age or ethnicity or, apparently, our place in the universe.
Maybe the occasion called for the presence of a Japan’s most illustrious conductor. Sadly, to my ears the performance sounds underpowered and unremarkable.
For comparison, here is a frail Klemperer conducting the Philharmonia in Beethoven’s 6th. It’s slow too, but, unlike Ozawa’s Egmont, has momentum, coherence and character.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz8Fp-Wm0U4
@Charles: The Brandenburgs with Abbado and Ochestra Mozart bristle with energy and character. Who are we to judge him by watching, and without having witnessed the rehearsals? An effective conductor is a catalyst for a great performance. In this instance, Abbado and Orchestra Mozart delivered. How they did is their secret.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC24gV1o7XQ