Beautifully Scary: Contemporary Music in America
Russ Wiltse
2016 | 61 min
Synopsis:
Beautifully Scary explores the landscape of contemporary music in America in the 20th century and beyond. The documentary features generations of composers who represent trends in modern classical music. Interviews with some of the most influential composers in American such as Elliott Carter, Milton Babbitt and Philip Glass, gives the viewer a strong sense of the circumstances that shaped the classical tradition in America, and the creative visions that have emerged from it. The film begins with a short history of modern music in America, highlighting some of the great American composers (Ives, Copland, Cage, Bernstein) through archival photos and film footage combined with short musical excerpts. This section also includes brief references to the earlier European influences (Wagner, Debussy, Schoenberg, Stravinsky). Composers such as Steve Reich, George Crumb, Bright Sheng and Pauline Oliveros talk about their lives, and how their work has contributed to the evolution of the form. They also discuss their music, and the effect of their approaches to composition upon the contemporary music scene. The documentary includes short excerpts from performances of works by Joan Tower, Tan Dun, Christopher Rouse and John Corigliano. The instrumental forces range from solo and small instrumental combinations, to full orchestra, showing the broad expressive range of their unique music. The film draws attention to the innovative work being done, and it's importance to the fabric of modern American culture.
Synposis by: alexanderstreet.com
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The film is available on the following paid platforms (requires a submission or a one-off payment):
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