Gymnastique

The 639 Year Concert

Koncert, który trwa 639 lat

Flick Flack

Un concierto que dura 639 años

Un concerto di 639 anni

In a church in Halberstadt, an organ slowly plays music that sounds like the eternal Om of a Buddhist song. The piece was written by John Cage, who wanted it to be played as slowly as possible. Each movement lasts 71 years. The concert started in 2001, and is on track to end in 2640.

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Gymnastics

This piece of music is being played so slowly that it won't be done until 2640

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Cultural Brain Stretching

In 1974, the French erotic film Emmanuelle broke audience records: almost 350 million viewers worldwide and a twelve-year run on the Champs Elysées in Paris. After the success of the sexually explicit Last Tango in Paris, Emmanuelle appeared at a turning point in French society: The sexual emancipation following May '68 in France. 

Queen of French Erotic Cinema

In 1974, the French erotic film Emmanuelle broke audience records: almost 350 million viewers worldwide and a twelve-year run on the Champs Elysées in Paris

Emmanuelle

With his Stetson on his head and a cigarette in his mouth, Townes Van Zandt (1944-1997), was a singer-songwriter of incandescent, beautifully despairing country songs. He was an artist plagued by demons, often under the influence of alcohol and drugs, but he nevertheless wrote some of the masterpieces of American song, including "If I Needed You" and "To Live is to Fly", and managed to climb to the top of the charts in spite of himself with the song "Pancho and Lefty", first popularised by Emmylou Harris and then covered by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard. His song 'Kathleen' was recently covered by Tindersticks.
 Troubled Troubadour
Through concert footage, film archives and interviews, this remarkable documentary sensitively traces Townes Van Zandt's formative experiences and existential and artistic ups and downs - from the beginning of his musical career, inspired by early Bob Dylan records and legendary blues bard Lightnin' Hopkins, to his untimely death. His managers, his children, his three wives and numerous musician friends shed light on his personality and reveal the affection they had for this troubled troubadour.

Portait of troubled Texan folk singer Townes van Zandt (1944-1997) who wrote beautiful and despairing country songs.

Townes Van Zandt: Be Here to Love Me

In Japan, the “washlet” combines Western toilets with Japanese hygiene standards. A clever combination of comfort and cleanliness, they're considered a basic essential for people in Japan, although visitors may be left baffled as to how to use them. They have dozens of functionalities.

Gacha Gacha (1/9)

Japanese toilets make the bathroom experience a high tech luxury

Toilets, Perfected

What is the vocal alchemy that propels pop singers to the pinnacle of success, decade after decade? While many of them, like Freddy Mercury or Alicia Keys, display impeccable power and technique, these assets are not always what counts. Can we identify common characteristics in the immense diversity of voices from pop music, past and present? With interviews from musicians such as Damn Albarn, DJ Koze, Joy Denalane and Joan as Police Woman, the first part of this two-part documentary explores the very essence of the pop voice.

The first part of this two-part documentary explores the very essence of the pop voice, with interviews from musicians such as Damn Albarn, DJ Koze, Joy Denalane and Joan as Police Woman.

The Magic Voices of Pop (1/2)

Eating ramen in Japan is a unique sensory and auditory experience. Here, the noodles are noisily slurped up. Considered rude in the West, in Japan this every day gesture is imbued with meaning.

Gacha Gacha (2/9)

In Japan, far from being rude, slurping is all about appreciating ramen's unique palette of flavours

Zuru Zuru: The Sound of Street Food

In Tokyo, sounds blair at you from all sides: the traffic lights that sound like chirping birds, the beep that signals when you enter a shop, and most of all, the delicate and detailed train station jingles. Every station has its own aural identity, crafted by a dedicated composer who has been writing train jingles for decades. 

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 Every station has its own aural identity, crafted by composer who has been writing train jingles for decades

Eki-Melody: Japan's Train Jingles

In Japan politeness is deeply codified depending on your place in the hierarchy. Where you stand in the lift, how you get into a taxi, and especially how you greet others, depends on your social standing. The concept of Ojigi is instilled in every Japanese child, and adults go on to hire consultants to make sure they get the nuances just right. But if it sounds deeply constraining, it is supposed to provide balance and stability.

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In Japan where you stand in the lift, how you get into a taxi, and especially how you greet others, depends on your social standing

Ojigi, The Art of Deference

Almost every public place in Tokyo is spotless, rubbed and polished clean by government workers. But there are places even their hard-working hands don't quite reach: grimy neighbourhoods full of character and down-in-the-heel charm. And in those streets, roams an elderly ramen seller making his living feeding drunks in the middle of the night.

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In grimy neighbourhoods full of character, an elderly ramen seller ekes out a living feeding drunks

The Old Ramen Seller

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Behind his polite exterior lies a formidable leader with a ruthless character, ready to do anything to make China the world's leading power by the People’s Republic’s centenary in 2049. This well-documented portrait of the Chinese president gives an unprecedented insight into his politics and shows how Xi Jinping's personal journey has shaped his choices as he steers China towards world domination.

A portrait of the Chinese president giving an unprecedented insight into his politics and showing how Xi Jinping's personal journey has shaped his choices as he steers China towards world domination.

The New World of Xi Jinping

In France, the bungalow evokes holidays in the sun. In the UK, they are humble everyday dwellings for grandparents. But in Germany or the United States, they take on a very different form: they are a bourgeois luxury, a single-storey villa with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking nature. Inspired by the "bangalo", a traditional one-storey Bengal house open to the outside, this style was also a staple of colonial architecture. 

In the US and Germany, bungalows are a bourgeois luxury: a single-storey villa with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking nature

The Beauty of Bungalows

Star violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter and composer JohnWilliams have long been something of a dream team. The 89-year-old American has composed a new violin concerto especially for the German violin virtuoso. Together with works by Jessie Montgomery, Aaron Copland and Igor Stravinsky, this world premiere is the highlight of the Tanglewood Festival 2021. The Boston Symphony Orchestra is conducted by BSO Music Director Andris Nelsons and John Williams.

Programme
Jessie Montgomery: Starburst
John Williams: Violin concerto No. 2 (World Premiere)
John Williams: New arrangements of film themes “Across the Stars“
Aaron Copland: Quiet City
Igor Stravinsky: Suite from “The Firebird“ (1919 Edition)

Tanglewood Festival 2021

Anne-Sophie Mutter performs the world premiere of John Williams new violin concerto with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Anne-Sophie Mutter - John Williams

Moria, Europe's largest refugee camp, has become one giant shanty town. When Covid struck, those living in the camp felt abandoned as things turned from bad to worse.
Maurice Joyeux, from the Jesuit Refugee Service, and his friend Mortaza Behboudi chose this very moment to return to Lesbos, to find the forgotten people of the pandemic, surviving in this squalid and unsanitary camp.

ARTE Reportage

Moria, Europe's largest refugee camp, has become one giant shanty town. When Covid struck, those living in the camp felt abandoned as things turned from bad to worse.

Greece: Moria - A Living Hell

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 What it's like to live in Germany as a foreigner when xenophobia is suddenly socially acceptable again

How I Became German

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Twist

Love is political, says journalist and author Şeyda Kurt. In her book Radical Tenderness she does away with the myth of romantic love

Why is Love so Hard?

38 million Japanese live together in the most populated urban area in the world. No wonder that the people of Tokyo have taken over the roofs to have extra space. A traditional Japanese garden and tea house, along with a martial arts class, take to the skies in search of  tranquility.

A traditional Japanese garden and tea house, along with a martial arts class, take to the skies in search of  tranquility

City Rooftops: Tokyo

For decades, the middle classes were what held post-war Europe together. Confidence in the Republic and its values was a given for the French middle classes who saw the state as a force for good and believed in social mobility. That all changed with the Yellow Vest movement (2018-2019) which saw angry protests against the government. This documentary follows participants in this movement.

The Working Poor in Revolt

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Taiwan: A Digital Democracy in China's Shadow

From the Théâtre de l’Archevêché, Mozart’s opera – directed by Lotte de Beer – opens the festivities at the Aix-en-Provence opera festival. Conductor Thomas Hengelbrock leads a fine vocal ensemble that includes soprano Julie Fuchs, baritone Andrè Schuen and mezzo-soprano Lea Desandre.

Aix-en-Provence Festival 2021

Mozart’s opera – directed by Lotte de Beer – opens the festivities of the festival of lyric art in Aix-en-Provence.

Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro

Earth's drinking water resources are dwindling and to avoid shortages, scientists will have to come to the rescue.

Earth's drinking water resources are dwindling

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After four years of waiting London Grammar have finally released a new album. To celebrate ,the British trio are invited onto the Ground Control set and ,as usual with London Grammar, the result is beautiful.

Ground Control

After four years of waiting London Grammar have finally released a new album. To celebrate ,the British trio are invited onto the Ground Control set to perform.

London Grammar

From Chur, Switzerland’s oldest city, to Tirano in Northern Italy, the Bernina Express winds its way through deep valleys and wild gorges, crossing some 196 bridges and going through 55 tunnels in its journey through the Graubünden Alps. A journey to discover one of the most spectacular railway lines in the world and an audacious feat of engineering.

A Train through the Alps

 A journey of discovery on one of the most spectacular railway lines in the world, and an audacious feat of engineering.

The Bernina Express

Millions of people worldwide suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS), an extreme and persistent exhaustion for which there is no cure. An investigation into a little known illness focusing on the experiences of three individuals suffering from CFS: Ralf, Sonja and Aileen.

ME/CFS – A Misunderstood Illness

 An investigation into little understood illness focusing on the experiences of three individuals suffering from CFS: Ralf, Sonja and Aileen.

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German producer and composer Pantha du Prince, exquisite blender of electronic and organic sounds, unveils his Conference of Trees album which takes us on a sonic journey into the heart of the forest. Live from the Nuits Sonores electronic music festival in Lyon.

Nuits Sonores 2021

German producer and composer Pantha du Prince unveils his Conference of Trees album at the Nuits Sonores electronic music festival in Lyon.

Pantha du Prince

The Chachapoyas of Peru fascinate archaeologists and historians. Between the 8th and the 16th centuries this reputedly fierce warrior people practiced an unusual mortuary ritual.

Archaeological Investigations

The Chachapoyas of Peru fascinate archaeologists and historians with their unusual mortuary rituals.

Chachapoyas: Living with the Dead

Every year, the Kediri Vespa festival attracts thousands of enthusiasts to the Indonesian city.

The 639 Year ConcertGymnastics

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