Keeping Score: MTT On Music
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Michael Tilson ThomasDVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Classical, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
DVD Release Date: 2005-03-08
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: San Francisco Sym
Movie Reviews of Keeping Score: MTT On Music
Movie Review: Strikes a nice middle ground, good performance (4.5 stars)
Summary: 5 Stars
Within the first few minutes of the "documentary" section of this DVD, I felt like groaning. Michael Tilson Thomas is driving his car through San Francisco, saying things like "Music is all around us. The honking of horns...the bells of a church..." (etc. etc.). I had expected more than a grade-school approach to explaining symphonic music.
Fortunately, my fears were unfounded. The docu does take a genial and somewhat light approach to explaining Tchaikovsky's amazing 4th Symphony, as well as the preparations a conductor and his orchestra go through to create an inspired performance. But it is not aimed at young kids. They'll enjoy it, definitely, but adults, even musicians like myself who have performed this piece, will have enough to chew on as well.
There is no in-depth analysis here, but MTT does explain very well the emotional, interpretive side of preparing to conduct the piece. He gives the composition a context by explaining some of Tchaikovsky's life, not shying away from the fact that the symphony was an expression of his fears and conflicts over being gay.
My favorite aspect is probably the behind-the-scenes insight of watching how a professional orchestra prepares for a concert: We see the concertmaster going through the score with MTT, helping the conductor to find the proper bowings and articulations to bring his vision to life. We see the orchestra librarians marking all the parts with these bowings and other articulations/comments/etc that MTT's interpretation has formulated. After the first day of rehearsal, MTT and the solo oboist work to shape the famous solo in the 2nd movement. Throughout, several orchestra members share their thoughts on the piece and the role their instrument plays. We also see footage of MTT meditating before he walks on stage, and striding happily to meet his orchestra backstage after the performance.
MTT proves to be an engaging narrator. He doesn't have to pander or "act" enthusiastically to make this topic exciting, because he so clearly lives for these performances and loves every minute of what he does. His joy in music-making is infectious and clearly has spread to his orchestra; this is a pleasant contrast to watching the stolid faces under Karajan's baton, for example. He's not Leonard Bernstein and he's not trying to be, though that comparison will inevitably be made. He does this his own way and he succeeds. But though he's different I have no problem considering him Bernstein's 21st century counterpart in "classical music outreach." Nobody else is really doing this sort of thing right now on MTT's scale, and he does it as well as one could hope for.
Overall this documentary finds a pleasant middle ground that is hard to nail in this sort of endeavor - its touch is light enough for anyone to enjoy, but offered enough substance to sustain my interest. Those looking for serious analysis should look elsewhere; that's not what this aims to provide, but it succeeds at its intended purpose.
The accompanying uncut live performance, while not really one of my favorites of this piece, is still quite good and will prove very satisfying for those who have enjoyed the insights given in the documentary.
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