Movie Review: In Search of Mozart (2006)

In Search of Mozart is a wonderful documentary about the life and music of Mozart. Even if one is well-versed with his history and music, there are still a number of things that one will learn from this film.

The best thing about this documentary is that it creates a seamless blend of the narrative about Mozart's development and the music that he is creating during that time. This is done through the use of recording a number of live performances of his pieces (more than 70 works performed in the film - listed at the film's website . In addition to the performances we are also given a number of interviews with the performers. This makes it all the more interesting because we get to hear what each musician thinks of his music and why they love it so. There are beautiful sequences showing how the musicians get lost in the performance and sway in time with the rhythm almost as if they were an extension of the instrument they were playing and their movement (pun not intended) is necessary for the best result (I know from my own amateur musical experience how important that is). The vocalists are even more interesting, because in a way they themselves are the instrument.

There is a sequence with the camera placed behind three violinists that I found particularly striking as they almost danced in unison with the joy of playing. That is one of the great things about this film that it manages to capture the joy of playing, hearing, listening and feeling Mozart.

A note for all us creative types is that Mozart almost always worked for money or on a commissioned assignment and rarely did anything just because he felt like it. As one interviewee points out it was music being made for money (i.e. to earn one's livelihood) but "the genius leaks out" *. There are also interesting anecdotes about the kind of person that Mozart was, references to the toilet-humor prevalent in those days (something not considered uncultured or uncouth) and in general showing the kind of spirited person that Wolfgang was. There is also a nice discussion of his use of leitmotifs that I found very interesting - his ability to depict a person's character perfectly through the use of music.

* Having said that though I have to say that there is an important distinction between this and a lot of commissioned work in today's day and age. For example, even though Monarch X may commission Mozart to undertake to write say a concerto to commemorate a special occasion - it is still a concerto, and adheres to the concerto form and Mozart is free to write this concerto as he pleases (provided it satisfies the Monarch, which should be easy, seeing as it is Mozart doing the composing - if anything, I am sure the question is more about the work satisfying Mozart's own standards than the Monarch's). I suppose the thing that would be comparable to that now is a fellowship. An advertising (or other propagandist) commission does not count. And film is a discussion I leave for another time (Michael Kamen, Hans Zimmer, John Williams and A R Rahman will probably be discussed).

And in writing especially the issue becomes far more complicated and even remotely propagandist material/commissions may be off-limits.