Made to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth, IN SEARCH OF MOZART is the first feature-length documentary on Mozart’s life. Produced with the world’s leading orchestras and musicians, told through a 25,000 mile journey along every route Mozart followed, this detective story takes us to the heart of genius. Without resorting to docu-drama or visual re-enactment, In Search of Mozart traces the composer’s life through his music and extensive correspondence. From K1a to K626 (Requiem), over 80 works are featured in chronological order, revealing striking parallels between the music and Mozart’s own experiences. Throughout, it is the music that takes center stage, with the jigsaw of Mozart’s life fitting around it. With rigorous analysis from musicologists and experts such as Jonathan Miller, Cliff Eisen, Nicholas Till, Bayan Northcott and the late Stanley Sadie, a new, vivid impression of the composer emerges. It dispels the many common myths about Mozart’s genius, health, relationships, death and character, to present a new image, very different from Milos Forman’s ‘Amadeus’. Subtitles: Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish
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May 10, 2010
#1
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2AE0BDJCGT34H This film is breathtaking using beautifully shot images alongside musical masterpieces. The film portrayed his life based on the chronological order of his composed works, which impressed me. Being the winner for Best Documentary should speak for itself, but I say “In Search of Mozart” will fascinate you. This is a must see!
May 10, 2010
#2
Some will look at the price of this DVD and simply say it’s too much. Besides, they know all they care to know about Mozart’s sad life. Plus, they’ve seen the 1984 movie, “Amadeus,” and how could anything top that? Finally, the music is over 200 years old. Isn’t it passe at this time?
To pursue these and other questions I would urge any music lover to take the plunge and buy this DVD. You won’t regret the decision. Sure, you’ll keep wondering why it all happened. Why such genius was taken out of the world at the young age of 35? Why didn’t he have people around him to take care of him? Why didn’t more people nurture the musical genius that touches us so long after his death?
What you do come away with is an appreciation of what Mozart did during his short, 35 years on Earth. How a tiny, sickly child composed masterpieces at the age of five. How Mozart could move his little fingers with such dexterity that almost defy medical science. How one human being could compose one masterpiece after another and finally count over 600 master works to his credit.
The DVD contains some of the most sublime music ever conceived by mortal man. (Of course, some people insist that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was not a mortal man, but that’s another subject altogether). Samples from the piano concerti, #5, #17, #20, #24, and #27 are there, along with parts of the violin concerti, the clarinet concerto, the flute concerto, and various sonatas and chamber pieces. Excerpts from seven of Mozart’s operas are also included, including “The Marriage of Figaro,” “Don Giovanni,” and “The Magic Flute.” The DVD claims to have 80 musical pieces represented and I would not doubt it.
A “making of” feature is included which was really very good. In it, the director, Phil Grabsky, reveals that he took two full years to produce this recording and did the vast bulk of filming and editing himself. This must have been a gargantuan task and one for which he knows can easily be criticized. For example, he says he omitted the famous horn concerto from the DVD because it didn’t fit in the flow and he was trying to get the movie down to around 2 hours. A critic might say that he might have inserted a snippet of this wonderful piece of music to further show how Mozart really was a master of all instruments in the orchestra at that time.
Grabsky was asked, as he’d asked others, what was his favorite of Mozart’s compositions. He vaguely mentions Figaro, Don Giovanni, and the Magic Flute, but then tries to wriggle off the hook. He said that was what happened when he interviewed such people as Jonathan Miller, Roger Norrington, Charles Mackerras, et al. Grabsky does say that one of the musicians said there is something about the harmonic combinations Mozart uses that makes his work so advanced and superior to other composers of his time. But I think we’re owed a little more than that. For me a list of favorites starts with the piano concerti. And to be more specific, #20 and #24, are the most powerful symphonic pieces Mozart ever composed. I can’t hear them today without some sort of emotional reaction. I don’t know if it’s sadness, anger, joy, or all these things wrapped up in one. There’s simply something other-worldly about this music which transcends time and space. For the uninitiated, get Rudolf Buchbinder’s DVD’s with these and the other major piano concerti. Then, you might even buy the other Mozart piano concerti on DVD, as I’ve done. After seeing and hearing, you’ll know what I mean.
Phil Grabsky also stresses the point, that Leopold Mozart, Wolfgang’s father, was not the money-grubbing parent who simply exploited his two gifted children in order to make money. Much to the contrary, Leopold virtually sacrificed his own life for the betterment of mankind in nurturing Wolfgang’s genius. Leopold’s goal was to educate Wolfgang throughout Europe with the various musical styles and methods of the day. Rather than the villain, as most would have us believe, Leopold was actually the single most important force in making Wolfgang grow and develop. The end result is that we can appreciate his sounds so far in the future. Similarly, Wofgang’s wife, Constanze, is not shown to us as the bawdy young thing that appeared in the famous movie. Without her care and devotion to Mozart’s memory, declares Mr. Grabsky, his compositions would not have been preserved for us. For that we owe Constanze great praise.
There is the obligatory bathroom humor we saw in “Amadeus,” but it’s not overdone, thank heavens. Such humor mostly takes the form of readings from Mozart’s letters to his parents and other family members. Apparently, it wasn’t unusual for people to talk about these things in public or in writing. After all, there was no indoor plumbing and sanitary conditions were largely wishful thinking at this time.
Narrated mainly by the British actress Juliet Stevenson, with Samuel West (as the voice of Mozart), and others, the film moves smoothly along from one European city to another. Many of the buildings that Mozart occupied and performed in are still extant, even after the world wars. We see and hear the fabulous music composed by this man and the development that occurred as he grew older and even more proficient with this skills.
Sadly, the documentary ends with Mozart succumbing to rheumatic fever and kidney failure at the age of 35. This may or may not be the true story. There was program on the Discovery Health Network, a few years ago, part of the “Medical Mysteries” series. It made a convincing case that Mozart actually died from eating tainted pork. He had all the symptoms of someone who had contracted Trichinosis and I believe that was the real cause of Mozart’s death.
Summing up, if you are a Mozart fan, you must get this DVD. If you’re not, get it and you will be one for life.
–Jim Wheeler, Tucson, Arizona
May 10, 2010
#3
This is the best historical account on Mozart that I have seen. It was interesting to use the present artists to assist in telling the story.
May 10, 2010
#4
Excellent movie tracing the travels and movements of Mozart, with music and good location scenic background. Seemed more authentic and insightful than the movie Amadeus. I enjoyed it immensely.
May 10, 2010
#5
Many in North America hold views of Mozart’s life that are strongly influenced by the smashing film Amadeus. Embarking upon his 128 minute, feature length documentary – In Search of Mozart, director Phil Grabsky soon discovered a man who was a far cry from the one many of us carry about in our minds. Grabsky’s work is quite simply a tour de force journey through Mozart’s life. Compiling around 70 of Mozart’s compositions, traveling to the prominent locations in his life, and interviewing musicians, singers, and conductors about their experiences with Mozart the man as felt through his music, Grabsky has single-handedly assembled what is quickly becoming a classic.
With little experience in classical music, opera, or even knowledge of Mozart and his work, Grabsky set out to track down the man through his personal correspondence, and the works that most closely correlate with pivotal events in his life. As a result, many `minor’ works are included, with many of Mozart’s best-known sound bites excluded – there is no “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” to be found here. What there is includes beautifully filmed, passionate musical performances, glimpses into the roads Mozart traveled, and a sharing of the man’s own words through his correspondence.
I found myself perpetually amazed by the beauty and quality of the work, which was filmed mainly by two cameras manned by Grabsky himself. At times an additional two cameras were rented, but Grabsky’s work is a wonderful showcase for simple, affordable filmmaking. The exception is the low-key half-hour director’s interview, which though fascinating – could have benefited greatly from an additional camera to avoid holding on Grabsky for such a long time through a single angle.
Like Mozart himself, the film has an international flavor. In his travels across Europe, Grabsky made no attempt to encourage his interviewees to converse in English, providing subtitles as needed. The DVD is also region free; in addition to English, it has subtitles available in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish, befitting of a Dubrovnik International Film Festival Winner.
Casting aside all dramatic pretense, Grabsky’s Mozart is hard working, devoted to his family, and above all, feels deeply. No efforts are made to hide Mozart’s sporadic crude jests, but set into context it appears that such private correspondences between family members were common in his extended family, and do not denote a lack of culture on his part. These brief references, some saucy letters to his wife, and veiled references in letters to his father place the unrated documentary into the PG category. His penchant for cards and billiards is also touched upon, but without letting his fondness for the activities mar his character.
Grabsky set out to direct the documentary he would have wanted to watch before he embarked upon this project. I believe he’s met his goal of making an accessible, yet comprehensive documentary that touches upon the major character traits and defining events and relationships in Mozart’s life with a good amount of historical accuracy. I certainly won’t hesitate to recommend In Search of Mozart to those seeking a general overview of Mozart the man, as well as Mozart the music.