Itzhak Perlman’s music starts in ‘his heart and flows through his hands’

The documentary “Itzhak” gives Itzhak Perlman, one of the classical music world’s leading virtuosos, a cinematic hug. Billed as “a revealing scrapbook of the artist’s favorite stories," “Itzhak” (2017) moves through vignettes from his life, including his polio diagnosis at age 4, his breakthrough victory at the Leventritt Competition in 1964 and his six-decade marriage to Toby Friedlander, herself an accomplished violinist.

Sprinkled in between are testimonials from his friends, such as actor Alan Alda and pianists Evgeny Kissin and Billy Joel, and segments on Perlman’s passions, such as his love of baseball, especially the New York Mets. It’s a musical portrait enclosed in “warmth, humor and above all, love.” 

(A favorite at Symphony Center, Itzhak Perlman last appeared with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival in 2022. Meanwhile, “Itzhak” is available to view for free on the streaming platforms of Pluto TV, the Roku Channel, Tubi and for subscribers, Prime Video.)

Director Alison Chernick explains what drew her to this project: “I wanted to tell the untold story of Itzhak Perlman, the story of the ‘mensch’ behind the great musical talent,” she said. “There is so much more to this man than his musical virtuosity that you gather from his performances. I look for subjects that are dynamic with complex personalities. I knew that Itzhak Perlman could carry the film’s narrative in the style of filmmaking I prefer called cinéma vérité — without inserting ‘talking heads’ to give commentary where the viewer can unravel the subject on their own.

“As the director, my single goal is to get as intimate of a portrait as I can, to allow the audience to discover the artist alongside me. It’s always the most satisfying to see who this person is outside of their work, to see what informs their process. In Itzhak’s case, his tremendous spirit, soul and humanity is infused into his music to create that beautiful sound. His music starts in his heart and flows through his hands.”

Though Chernick has profiled visual artists such as Matthew Barney, Jeff Koons and Roy Lichtenstein in past documentaries, creating this portrait of Perlman was “a filmmaker’s dream,” she said. “[His artistry] seems to inspire people. I’m grateful to put this positive story into the world at a time when the world most needs it.”

Originally published on Sounds & Stories, the predecessor site of Experience CSO.