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Beethoven32 - A film in 32 parts (2021)

Beethoven32 is a large-scale documentary and recording project following pianist Boris Giltburg’s attempt to learn and perform all 32 Beethoven piano sonatas within a single year.

Developed with Giltburg, the project extended the Fly On The Wall system into a long-form, multi-year production — combining filmed performance, documentary narrative and studio recording into a single integrated programme. The project was structured as a sequence of complete performances, captured in continuous takes, documenting both the musical and psychological demands of the undertaking.

Principal photography began in December 2019 and continued throughout the pandemic, with production periods in the UK and Italy conducted under conditions of near-total isolation and international travel disruption. The project required sustained execution across multiple recording cycles, adapting to changing constraints while maintaining continuity of artistic and technical standards.

During production, the project expanded from a filmed performance series into a combined film and recording programme, with the partnership evolving to support a full international release. The final output comprised 32 films and 9 audio albums, released in partnership with Naxos and distributed via platforms including Marquee.tv, delivered across a sustained, multi-phase production.

Featured Artists:

Boris Giltburg

Directed by:

Stewart French

Tracklist:

The Complete Piano Sonatas, Ludwig van Beethoven

Partnerships:

Naxos Records, Marquee.tv

Runtime:

11:21:18

Watch on Marquee.tv