Daniel Barenboim

[Nefertiti2]

What a musician!

What a mensch!

prompted by listening to this- (and do catch up with it if you can)

But also because of this

Can we, despite all our achievements, ignore the intolerable gap between what the Declaration of Independence promised and what was fulfilled, the gap between the idea and the realities of Israel? Does the condition of occupation and domination over another people fit the Declaration of Independence? Is there any sense in the independence of one at the expense of the fundamental rights of the other? Can the Jewish people whose history is a record of continued suffering and relentless persecution, allow themselves to be indifferent to the rights and suffering of a neighboring people? Can the State of Israel allow itself an unrealistic dream of an ideological end to the conflict instead of pursuing a pragmatic, humanitarian one based on social justice?

[Kevin S]

Oh thanks goodness, I was worried he'd died.

He's a legend in several ways. Conductor, pianist, and of course his founding of the West–Eastern Divan Orchestra mentioned in that link.

Everyone loves the ninth, of course, but do check out the 2012 BBC Proms performance of it.

[Nefertiti2]

Oh thanks goodness, I was worried he'd died.

He's a legend in several ways. Conductor, pianist, and of course his founding of the West–Eastern Divan Orchestra mentioned in that link.

Everyone loves the ninth, of course, but do check out the 2012 BBC Proms performance of it.

thanks Kevin, forgot that assumption

here's that 2012 performance of Beethoven's 9th

[Benjm]

My knowledge of classical music is fairly rudimentary but he has always struck me as a great figure both on and off the podium/stool.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

What a mensch indeed. As for his musicianship, I'm thoroughly unqualified to comment but I am very fond of listening to my CDs of Mozart piano concertos, on which he is the soloist.

[ursus arctos]

We met him briefly at a restaurant in Milan

He is very much a mensch "off stage", as well.