The outspoken conductor, pianist and activist unveils his online plans.

One of classical music’s giants has made his YouTube channel debut at the age of 73. Conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim launched his new channel with an initial four videos. In a diverse selection, he tackles subjects as varied as Brahms’ First Piano Concerto as well as the responsibilities of freedom of speech, reflective of the maestro’s longstanding passion for musical and social engagement.

In his introductory clip, Barenboim describes his new venture as a platform to discuss musical pieces that are close to his heart, as well as subjects “some social, some political” that preoccupy him. The conductor, who has been vocal not only about the ability of art to engender change, but also holds strong views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, maintains that his channel will touch on “all subjects that have to do with the human being”.

Seated at the piano, his first video is a focused discussion of Brahms’ Piano Concerto No 1, his explanations characteristically precise as he works through the expansive nature of the piece. Barenboim praises the work’s lyricism and the dramatic scope of the piece as something “quite...