Big in Europe Vol. 1 (5 Stars)

This post is about the DVDs accompanying the "Big in Europe Vol. 1" CD, which I listened to earlier today. I could have written about them in the same post, I just didn't want to.

The first DVD is a concert recording, the same music as on the CD. The second DVD is a documentary about the concert. I watched the second DVD first, since documentaries about Klaus Schulze always interest me.

The documentary was made by James Frachon, who also directed the documentary on the "Rheingold" DVD. I criticised his first documentary, but he's improved since then. The members of Klaus Schulze's stage crew are introduced, not just their names, we're also told their roles. We're left in no doubt who the people are that we see on screen.

The documentary begins in Hambühren and shows us the preparation for the concert, as well as giving us brief glimpses of the concert itself. We only need glimpses, because the other DVD contains the whole concert.

This was a very special concert. Klaus was invited by the Polish government to perform at a ceremony to remember the Russian invasion of Poland in 1939. It's true that Germany also invaded Poland in 1939, but the difference is that Germany only suppressed Poland for six years, whereas Russia suppressed Poland for more than 40 years. Today Russia is still considered the biggest enemy of the Polish people.

The concert took place in a small courtyard in Warsaw. Invited were primarily politicians, members of the press and senior bureaucrats. Very few tickets were available to fans. As a consolation, it was promised that the concert would be broadcast live on Polish radio, but due to technical problems the broadcast started 30 minutes late.

The following speeches were held at a press conference earlier in the day.

Andrzey Przewoznik, Secretary of the Council for the Protection of Struggle and Martyrdom Sites.

"Ladies and gentlemen, when we were preparing this special 70th Anniversary of the beginning of World War II we immediately chose to establish the dates of September 1st and 17th as a reminder that Poland, in 1939, was invaded by two aggressor countries, Germany and the Soviet Union. We like to remind that Poland has chosen to be on the side of the world with values that has, over centuries, shaped the European continent against totalitarianism. The Polish people were the first to resist two totalitarian systems. The concert that you will be able to see tonight with the presence of two amazing guests is specially dedicated to honour Poland. I would like to deeply thank our guests who, through culture and music pay homage to Poland and our fellow citizens who have fought to keep the values of independence and sovereignty not only in Poland, but everywhere in the world. Thank you very much".

Krzysztof Dudek, Director of National Cultural Centre.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are celebrating the 70th Anniversary of World War II. The special event today is part of that commemoration, September 17th being an important day for Poland. This concert with Klaus Schulze and Lisa Gerrard is part of a major artistical event. Allow me to get your attention on this very special day. Since we are always trying to do something different for these occasions, we had the idea to invite to the concert an eminent electronic music composer. It is extremely important for us to celebrate the memory of the victims of World War II as part of an educational program. We are keen to remind our young people in Poland, as well as the people of Europe and the rest of the world, that World War II started in Poland, as well as the dismantling of Communism. My deep conviction is that this concert with Lisa Gerrard and Klaus Schulze will do more to educate than any amount of historical studies. The concert is entitled HOMAGE A POLSKA and will be aired on Polish radio, and it will be an important opportunity for the people of Poland and Europe to know more about the very difficult history of our country. To conclude, I wish to give our guests a symbol of the massacre in Katyn, which was a consequence of Soviet aggression against Poland, a replica of the uniform button of a Polish officer who was murdered in Katyn".

As for the concert itself, the music was magnificent, as I pointed out in my review earlier this afternoon. The concert only lasted 65 minutes, because Klaus thought that a full concert would have been too long. Then he added that even 10 minutes would have been too long for some of the guests. He shouldn't put himself down like that, but I understand what he was saying. Those attending the concert weren't fans, and it's possible that some of them had never heard his music before. Let's hope that this evening in Warsaw won him new fans.

At the end of the concert Lisa Gerrard held an impromptu speech to the assembled dignitaries.

"Let's remember this day forever. that this night is marked when we can go forward and breathe and celebrate every day for the rest of our lives without any more war, oppression or fighting, but respect each other mutually. It is our birth right. We have a right to be here peacefully".

Those are beautiful words. Lisa had no way of knowing that 13 years later Russia's Fascist tyrant would start a new war in Europe, even more brutal than the attack on Poland.