Musica Viva Munich 2008 Visual Highlight

musica viva Munich
A Forum for Contemporary Music

The ‘musica viva’ series held under the auspices of the Bavarian Radio was founded in 1945 by Karl Amadeus Hartmann and has since advanced to become one of the most significant forums for contemporary music world-wide. Premieres and historical milestones of the modern age remain at the heart of these monthly concerts.

In January and February 2008 a three-week festival took place in Munich, the first time that such an event had been held in the history of the series. Not only the Symphony Orchestra of the Bavarian Radio - the regular partner to date - but also other top orchestras within Germany’s system of public broadcasting, the ARD, helped the festival (and the many renowned composers and interpreters of New Music) on its way to a great success.

Since 2001, the film-maker and composer Peider A. Defilla (owner of B.O.A. Videofilmkunst) has documented the ‘musica viva’ concerts for BR-alpha (the educational channel of Bavarian Television). Each 15 minute portrait manages to demonstrate just how broad a spectrum is covered by ‘musica viva’. An ongoing cooperation between the Bavarian Radio, NEOS and B.O.A. has led to the present DVD with its representative excerpts of the most important concerts of the festival along with interviews.