The Concert
08/01/17 Filed in: Amazon Prime
Back to the French films on Amazon, although this one starts in Moscow and the first 40 minutes or so are largely in Russian, with subtitles of course.
Dismissed from the Bolshoi orchestra thirty years earlier, for hiring Jewish musicians, Andrei Filipov has a cleaning job at the Bolshoi but his mind is still on the stage, conducting his beloved music. By chance he intercepts a fax from Paris inviting the Bolshoi to perform at the Châtelet Theatre and at that moment decides to reconstitute his old orchestra and go to Paris impersonating the Bolshoi. Getting the musicians back together is no easy task and neither is finding a manager and backer. At times one feels the whole venture is going to fall apart, particularly when we find out that none of the musicians has a valid passport. However, Gypsy friends are at hand, and we witness the musicians lining up in the airport departure hall with their photographs from the photo kiosk, as the Gypsies stick the photos in each 'new' passport and officially stamp it. The interest of an inquisitive police officer is soon dealt with!
We arrive in Paris about halfway through the film, where a prominent violin soloist, Anne-Marie Jacquet, has been requested to play Tchaikovsky's violin concerto with the orchestra. The reason for this choice becomes apparent when we learn that there is history between soloist's manager, Guylène, and Filipov, and that Anne-Marie has a history of which she has never been made aware. The disorganisation that prevailed before the group left Moscow doesn't improve on its arrival in Paris. In fact, once each of them is given some money in advance, they disappear on the town and don't turn up for the first rehearsal. Things are not looking good.
Dismissed from the Bolshoi orchestra thirty years earlier, for hiring Jewish musicians, Andrei Filipov has a cleaning job at the Bolshoi but his mind is still on the stage, conducting his beloved music. By chance he intercepts a fax from Paris inviting the Bolshoi to perform at the Châtelet Theatre and at that moment decides to reconstitute his old orchestra and go to Paris impersonating the Bolshoi. Getting the musicians back together is no easy task and neither is finding a manager and backer. At times one feels the whole venture is going to fall apart, particularly when we find out that none of the musicians has a valid passport. However, Gypsy friends are at hand, and we witness the musicians lining up in the airport departure hall with their photographs from the photo kiosk, as the Gypsies stick the photos in each 'new' passport and officially stamp it. The interest of an inquisitive police officer is soon dealt with!
We arrive in Paris about halfway through the film, where a prominent violin soloist, Anne-Marie Jacquet, has been requested to play Tchaikovsky's violin concerto with the orchestra. The reason for this choice becomes apparent when we learn that there is history between soloist's manager, Guylène, and Filipov, and that Anne-Marie has a history of which she has never been made aware. The disorganisation that prevailed before the group left Moscow doesn't improve on its arrival in Paris. In fact, once each of them is given some money in advance, they disappear on the town and don't turn up for the first rehearsal. Things are not looking good.
Meanwhile Anne-Marie is also having second thoughts as she starts to realise that her engagement for this concert is perhaps not purely a commercial arrangement. A dinner with Filipov unnerves her as he struggles with his past and the desire to tell her a secret that would change her life. Filipov's friend Sasha realises that this secret is undermining the whole project and himself decides to tell Anne-Marie, but he can't do it. At this point Anne-Marie's manager, Guylène, realising that the secret can no longer be kept, leaves Anne-Marie an annotated copy of the score for the violin concerto, along with a note that causes her to change her mind over playing at the the concert. Guylène is in fact much more than a manager to Anne-Marie, she regarding her more as a mother figure, never having known her own parents.
The concert is a sell-out, but starts badly, with the largely unrehearsed players not harmonising, but once Anne-Marie comes in with the solo violin, the orchestra is transformed, and the 'total harmony' that Filipov was dreaming of is realised.
Mélanie Laurent, who plays Anne-Marie, is very impressive as the solo violinist. You will believe that she is playing the piece, which is regarded as one of the most difficult in a solo violinist's repertoire. Some post-viewing research reveals that she was in fact coached for two months by the actual soloist, Sarah Nemtanu. It's a tremendous piece of music, enhanced by the emotion that Anne-Marie shows while playing it.
Critical reviews for this film weren't great, with the Guardian being singularly unimpressed, but audience opinion was much more positive. I enjoyed it. A good mix of comedy and emotion and a good introduction to Tchaikovsky if you've not indulged previously.
As well as the trailer for this film I've included a video of Sarah Nemtanu accompanied by Orchestre Symphonique du Campus d'Orsay conducted by Martin Barra. Enjoy.
The concert is a sell-out, but starts badly, with the largely unrehearsed players not harmonising, but once Anne-Marie comes in with the solo violin, the orchestra is transformed, and the 'total harmony' that Filipov was dreaming of is realised.
Mélanie Laurent, who plays Anne-Marie, is very impressive as the solo violinist. You will believe that she is playing the piece, which is regarded as one of the most difficult in a solo violinist's repertoire. Some post-viewing research reveals that she was in fact coached for two months by the actual soloist, Sarah Nemtanu. It's a tremendous piece of music, enhanced by the emotion that Anne-Marie shows while playing it.
Critical reviews for this film weren't great, with the Guardian being singularly unimpressed, but audience opinion was much more positive. I enjoyed it. A good mix of comedy and emotion and a good introduction to Tchaikovsky if you've not indulged previously.
As well as the trailer for this film I've included a video of Sarah Nemtanu accompanied by Orchestre Symphonique du Campus d'Orsay conducted by Martin Barra. Enjoy.