Daniel Barenboim Book order

Daniel Barenboim and the literary theorist Edward W. Said founded the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra in Weimar in 1999. In this extraordinary ensemble, young musicians from Israel and the Arab World make music together on a world-class-level. The Orchestra's humanistic spirit is passed on to young scholarship students from the Middle East. The Akademie's mission is to help its students become „thinking musicians.“ An integral part of the Akademie is the Pierre Boulez Saal, designed by American star architect Frank Ghery. This unusual, elliptical concert hall offers a top-notch program which allows a broader public to share in Daniel Barenboim's ideal of education through music. Its modular space meets the highest artistic demands while offering the greatest possible degree of flexibility. In its first year alone, it attracted over 85 000 visitors to 150 concerts. This book uses pictures, short texts, and quotations of musicians to describe how the sound of utopia, which Daniel Barenboim and Edward E. Said heard from afar, has been realized in their joint projects. It is based on an exhibition of the same name on display in the foyer of the Barenboim-Said Akademie and describes the development of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra from its beginnings at Kunstfest Weimar to the projects launched by the Daniel Barenboim Foundation in the Middle East right up to the founding of the Barenboim-Said Akademie and the Pierre Boulez Saal.

This book offers a profound exploration of music's ability to influence and reshape society, penned by one of Israel's most renowned musicians and vocal critics. Through insightful analysis and personal anecdotes, it delves into the transformative role of music in cultural and social movements, highlighting its significance in both personal and communal contexts. The author’s unique perspective as a celebrated artist adds depth to the discussion, making it a compelling read for those interested in the intersection of art and activism.

A memoir by the great pianist, conductor and internationalist Daniel Barenboim.

Israeli Daniel Barenboim - director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and of the Berlin State Opera - and Palestinian Edward Said - eminent literary critic and leading expert on the Middle East - have been close friends for years. Parallels and Paradoxes is a series of discussions between the two friends about music, politics, literature and society. Barenboim and Said talk about, among other subjects, the differences between writing prose and music; the compromising politician versus the uncompromising artist; Beethoven as the ultimate sonata composer; Wagner; great teachers; and the power of culture to transcend national differences. Parallels and Paradoxes is an affectionate and impassioned exchange of ideas that is deeply informed, profound and yet completely accessible.