Newly remastered from a Voice of America mono off-line aircheck, one hears more detail and ... more
ambiance here than in previous reissues of this controversial performance taped live at Carnegie Hall April 6th, 1962. The conductor's infamous "disclaimer" disassociating himself from Glenn Gould's slow tempi is preserved along with a snippet from an interview in which Gould defends both his interpretation and Bernstein's actions. The first movement starts slow, but insidiously speeds up to a tempo not far from the norm. Flickering in and out of Bernstein's turgid orchestral backdrop, Gould downplays the music's fiery intensity, seeking to emphasize its meditative qualities and contrapuntal implications. If Sony wanted to issue a Gould Brahms D- Minor, why not the more incisive, and far better-engineered October 1962 Baltimore version? --Jed Distler
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Advantages: Excellent physcological study of character. Disadvantages: Grim, brutal, shocking scenes of a sexual nature.
a delicate quality about her, but she portrays the cold and calculating personality within this character with careful precision. She actually played the piano in parts of the film. She had studied piano for 12 years when younger, and when preparing for this role, she began practicing a year before the film went into filming. This film basically centres around Erica, and the supporting characters are her mother and lover. Set in Vienna the film doesn't allow you much of the scenery, being shot mainly at the apartment, or at the conservatory. But scenery is not what this film is about. It's all about the strength of passion, and what lengths someone would go in the name of desire. Like all films of extreme, this will shock, and may even disgust you.
There are no holds barred, and the film contains extreme violence. The director, Michael ...
Morning_Becomes_Electra 20.01.2008 (25.01.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Piano Teacher
Advantages: interesting story, excellent acting, Disadvantages: expected more
expected, yet produced some awesome performances. Inparticular little, Ann Paquin, the devoted daughter and voice of Ada to the outside world puts in a great performance.
I found that the movie lacked more storyline and failed to deliver what it could have. While each actor convinced, the overall movie failed to convince.
Ada plays a mute, a sullen soul, whos only passion is the piano (and daughter?)
Little Flora takes the role of Adas mouth and her communication to the outside world. One feels she has grown up before her time and Ann Paqun plays this perfectly.
Stewart a good man, trying his best for his new family is only human as we see.
George on the other hand seems to want what Stewart has got.
To not spoil the plot, i wont go into detail but I would recommend the film despite it not being what I would expect from an Oscar ...
rafomania 16.11.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Piano (DVD)
Advantages: A great film to watch, a very emotional film which is gripping to watch.. Disadvantages: none
. Understandably is then enraged when her new husband refuses to take the piano because it is too too heavy.
The piano is rescued by her husband's friend, a neighbouring farmer, George Baines (Harvey Keitel). He uses it as a bargaining tool. He allows Ada to earn her piano back, by giving him lessons, she can have one key back per visit. Baines has no interest in the piano lessons but instead uses the private sessions to maniuplates Ada into performing sexual favours. This soon escalates into an erotic affair. After Flora tells Alistair about the affair's continuence, Ada is brutally disfigured when Alistair chops of her...Im not going to tell you anymore, but there is penty more, emotionally gripping scenes to watch.
The soundtrack, by Michael Nyman is a joy to listen to and really sets the tone for the film.The melody of main theme, "The Heart ...
