Concert Magic is 1948 motion picture which advertises itself as "first complete concert, in the accepted manner, to be presented on the screen". It is one of the earliest concert films.[1]
| Concert Magic | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Paul Gordon |
| Produced by | Paul Gordon George Moskov |
| Starring | Yehudi Menuhin Jacob Gimpel Eula Beal |
| Cinematography | Paul Ivano |
| Edited by | Douglas Bagier |
| Music by | Victor Clement |
Production company | Concert Films Corporation |
Release date |
|
Running time | 75 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Overview
editThe film begins with a written prologue accompanied by narration stressing the importance of music to peoples lives and the fact that it remains even if empires fall, tyrants rise and are slain or battles lost. It states that the purpose of this film is to provide the opportunity to present the concert hall experience to people who would otherwise not be so fortunate - the "remote communities of every nation." It is specifically dedicated to music loves who personal experience of music by distinguished performers in inaccessible.[2]
According to the 20 Jun 1948 The New York Times review, the picture was filmed at Republic Studios but shot to playback at Chaplin Studios. Additionally a separate "up close" version had been produced for possible television transmission. There was also a performance of one of Felix Mendelssohn's violin concertos that had been filmed but not edited into the final product.[3]
Compositions and musicians
editThe film is divided into 14 sections each containing a performance of a specific composition.
1. Violin Sonata No. 1 in D Major Op. 12 Allegro con brio by Ludwig van Beethoven
- Violin by Yehudi Menuhin
- Piano by Adolph Baller
2. Praeludium partia for unaccompanied violin #3 by Johann Sebastian Bach
- Violin by Yehudi Menuhin
3.Scherzo Tarantelle by Henryk Wieniawski
- Violin by Yehudi Menuhin
- Piano by Adolph Baller
4.Ave Maria by Charles Gounod, adapted from the first prelude of Johann Sebastian Bach
- Eula Beal - contralto
- Marguerite Campbell - piano
5.Un sospira etude - Franz Liszt
- Jakob Gimpel - piano
- Jakob Gimpel - piano
7.St Matthew Passion - Johann Sebastian Bach
- Violin by Yehudi Menuhin
- Eula Beal - contralto
- Hollywood Symphony Orchestra, Antal Doráti conducting
8.Perpetual motion Op. 11 - Niccolò Paganini
- Violin by Yehudi Menuhin
- Piano by Adolph Baller
9. Erlkönig - Franz Schubert, German text by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- Eula Beal - contralto
- Marguerite Campbell - piano
10.Étude E Major Op. 10 - Frédéric Chopin
- Jakob Gimpel - piano
11. None but the Lonely Heart Op. 6 #6 - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- Eula Beal - contralto
- Marguerite Campbell - piano
12.Labyrinth Number 5 - Pietro Locatelli
- Violin by Yehudi Menuhin
- Piano by Adolph Baller
13.Caprice No. 24 - Niccolò Paganini
- Violin by Yehudi Menuhin
- Piano by Adolph Baller
14.Caprice No. 24 - Niccolò Paganini
- Violin by Yehudi Menuhin
- Piano by Adolph Baller
15.Ave Maria - Franz Schubert
- Violin by Yehudi Menuhin
- Piano by Adolph Baller
See also
edit- Adventure in Music 1944 - which also claims to be the first concert film.
References
edit- ↑ Smith, Christian Robert Luke Investigating the origins, ethics, and various forms of the music documentary Masters thesis, York St John University. 2020 p.12
- ↑ Concert Magic at 1:12-2:48
- ↑ Concert Magic (1948)
Further reading
edit- Smith, Christian Robert Luke Investigating the origins, ethics, and various forms of the music documentary Masters thesis, York St John University. 2020