A Musical Quartet: Four Award-Winning Documentaries (First Run Features DVD Set)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: D Films: B+
The four
exemplary films comprising the set A
Musical Quartet are a joy for those interested in the perpetuation of classical
music in the modern world. The threads that bind them together are
producer Walter Scheuer and Allan Miller, who directed three of the four films
and was artistic director of the fourth (From
Mao to Mozart).
Their resolve
and dedication illuminate nearly all 330 minutes of music chronicled here. In some ways the first film, From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China,
directed by Murray Lerner, is best of set and, yet, comparisons among the films
are patently unfair.
From Mao is an Oscar winning documentary
which follows master violinist Isaac Stern on one of the first major
cultural trips to China after the Cultural Revolution, in 1979. A blend
of documentary and travelogue with concert and teaching footage, this
film highlights the true genius of Isaac Stern. Yes, he is a
musical genius; but, beyond that, he is an exceptional teacher and
human being second to none. Stern's charisma shines out of every
frame in which he appears. He is so engaging the viewer feels s/he is
there with him, that he is teaching them alone, to the exclusion of all
else. This extraordinary man cuts through political red tape,
cultural stereotypes and the very real tragedies of the Cultural
Revolution. He makes all whom he
encounters positively shine and, as a result, the music shines through them.
The
second film, Small Wonders (1995),
is billed as "a real-life" Mr.
Holland's Opus and, though it is that, it is so much more. The film
tells the story of one teacher's dedication to the idea of music in public
education. The documentary follows the teacher, Roberta
Guaspari-Tzavaras, from the moment of her recruitment of students from East
Harlem for a special program of violin instruction to a concert,
Fiddlefest, which takes place on the stage of New York's Carnegie Hall. Guaspari-Tzavaras
is a truly engaging, dedicated teacher; she is also shown as a tough, very
demanding one and the film does not shy away from uncomfortable moments
when students fail to live up to expectations, both musically and personally.
High spots include the Carnegie Hall concert and the group playing the National
Anthem before a New York Knicks basketball game. Hollywood, of
course, couldn't resist and made Music
of the Heart (1999), with Meryl Streep playing Guaspari-Tzavaras. If
you want the true lowdown with all the raw emotion and none of the manipulative
clichés, skip Hollywood and head right for this original film. There are
cameos by Itzhak Perlman and Isaac Stern but the finest moments are watching
the music help transform the children themselves.
High Fidelity: The Adventures of
the Guarneri String Quartet is a sort of Let It Be for
the classical music set. At the time of the filming, 1988, the Guarneri
ensemble had been together longer than any other string quartet in the world still
with its original members. This film follows the quartet on the road, in
rehearsal, and in concert. Gradually the viewer, through a sort of
filmic intimacy, begins to realize each member as an individual with particular
likes and dislikes, musical and otherwise. The creative difficulties are
frankly noted; disputes surface during rehearsals and are captured on
tape. The legacy of their lengthy affiliation weighs on the members and,
as a result of this, they generally do not associate socially. Yet, when
they come together as a unit magic is evoked; all the compromises and hard
feelings fade away in the ecstatic strains of immortal works. This film,
like others in this set, is a lesson not only in music but in life:
bittersweet memories and triumphant performances capture the beauty of
lives dedicated to music and to life.
The Turandot Project is at once fascinating and
historic; it is the story of a production of Puccini's opera Turandot
mounted initially in Florence and transported to Beijing for a mammoth production
outdoors in the Forbidden City. The subject matter is a natural; this
original Italian opera "returns" to Peking for its first
Oriental production, directed by the renowned Chinese film director, Zhang
Yimou (Raise the Red Lantern, Hero). The story of
difficulties in the production is worthy of an opera of its own: literal,
philosophic, political, diplomatic and even, perhaps especially, stylistic
challenges. In the later case, Zhang realized the costumes for the entire
cast had to be redone, causing a fantastic cost overrun,
because they did not match the era of the architecture serving as the
backdrop for the outdoor sets. If this wasn't done, the opera would have
been the laughing stock of all China before even the first note was trilled. Further, the government objected to Zhang
Yimou, whose films have frequently encountered opposition politically.
In
addition, there was a colossal war of wills between Zhang and Guido Levi,
the original Florentine lighting director, who considered having a film
director stage an opera to be a mere publicity stunt without merit. All
these elements are nicely woven into a coherent narrative by this film's
director, Allan Miller, with scenes from both the Italian and Chinese
stagings. In fact the only complaint is that there is not enough of
the opera itself, but this is of course a film of the mounting of the
production and not the production itself. Still, a few more scenes of
this fascinating final Puccini opera would have been nice, indeed.
The 1.33
X 1 image throughout the productions are just fine, though a tad soft, while
the sound ranges from Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo to Mono depending on the film
and even scene. There are no extras
This four
film set, A Musical Quartet, is
heartily recommended to both the novice and dedicated follower of
classical music. The films themselves are older and, being
documentaries, did not originally have the highest production values, nor have
they been remastered in any notable way. That being said the gathering of
these four films, produced under the auspices of Walter Scheuer with the
directorial assistance of Allan Miller, is a gift of historic importance
in the history of classical music.
- Don Wentworth
