When watching this film 'Orchestra of Exiles' I couldn't help but think about a quote I once read (attributed to Plato) paraphrased: "Music, rhythm & harmony gain entrance into the deepest part of our Souls ........."
Josh Aronson's important and relevant documentary "Orchestra of Exiles" is the powerfully true-Story of Bronislaw Huberman the violin-prodigy (and a musical-superstar of his day circa 1920s/1930s/1940s) who was so devoted to the art of Music and to Saving/ preserving the Lives of his fellow musicians (i.e. Those perilously-trapped in Hitler's grasp, mercilessly-persecuted for the sole crime of having Jewish ancestry), that he ultimately transformed himself into a master Statesman, humanitarian, fundraiser and visionary/dreamer = in order to create/ establish (really from scratch) the esteemed organization and artists' Sanctuary now known as the Israel Philharmonic under the superlative batons of brilliant co-founder William Steinberg and famous anti-fascist Conductor Arturo Toscanini.
But in the early 1930's it was truly 'only a distant Dream' and possible means of escape + refuge for the imperiled European musicians and their precious family members whose future prospects and very Lives were dishearteningly tenuous and dangerously uncertain. It was also for Huberman, a means of preserving what he considered the Best and most humane spirit of longstanding 'Classical Music Tradition' engendered/ fostered within Europe for Centuries and he was now attempting to transport some of that sacred 'humanity' to the burgeoning Mid-East Jewish sanctuary far from Nazi persecution.
This film is part documentary, part 're-enactment' = both profoundly insightful & inspiring, enhanced by interviews with current Music superstars that were deeply touched by Huberman's indomitable Spirit: Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman, Zubin Mehta, Joshua Bell (to name a few!)
There are also informative Extras such as Leon Botstein explaining why many Jews in early 1930's Germany thought 'Hitlerism' was just a 'passing-phase' and did not immediately take action to leave/escape until it was tragically much too late (but Bronislaw Huberman seemed to uncannily 'see' the merciless historical fates inexorably approaching = and his decisive & courageous actions saved nearly 1,000 of his fellow musicians along with their precious family members.
Josh Aronson's important and relevant documentary "Orchestra of Exiles" is the powerfully true-Story of Bronislaw Huberman the violin-prodigy (and a musical-superstar of his day circa 1920s/1930s/1940s) who was so devoted to the art of Music and to Saving/ preserving the Lives of his fellow musicians (i.e. Those perilously-trapped in Hitler's grasp, mercilessly-persecuted for the sole crime of having Jewish ancestry), that he ultimately transformed himself into a master Statesman, humanitarian, fundraiser and visionary/dreamer = in order to create/ establish (really from scratch) the esteemed organization and artists' Sanctuary now known as the Israel Philharmonic under the superlative batons of brilliant co-founder William Steinberg and famous anti-fascist Conductor Arturo Toscanini.
But in the early 1930's it was truly 'only a distant Dream' and possible means of escape + refuge for the imperiled European musicians and their precious family members whose future prospects and very Lives were dishearteningly tenuous and dangerously uncertain. It was also for Huberman, a means of preserving what he considered the Best and most humane spirit of longstanding 'Classical Music Tradition' engendered/ fostered within Europe for Centuries and he was now attempting to transport some of that sacred 'humanity' to the burgeoning Mid-East Jewish sanctuary far from Nazi persecution.
This film is part documentary, part 're-enactment' = both profoundly insightful & inspiring, enhanced by interviews with current Music superstars that were deeply touched by Huberman's indomitable Spirit: Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman, Zubin Mehta, Joshua Bell (to name a few!)
There are also informative Extras such as Leon Botstein explaining why many Jews in early 1930's Germany thought 'Hitlerism' was just a 'passing-phase' and did not immediately take action to leave/escape until it was tragically much too late (but Bronislaw Huberman seemed to uncannily 'see' the merciless historical fates inexorably approaching = and his decisive & courageous actions saved nearly 1,000 of his fellow musicians along with their precious family members.