Sabre Dance

Immortal Beloved

December 1994 •English

A chronicle of the life of infamous classical composer Ludwig van Beethoven and his painful struggle with hearing loss. Following Beethoven's death in 1827, his assistant, Schindler, searches for an elusive woman referred to in the composer's love letters as "immortal beloved." As Schindler solves the mystery, a series of flashbacks reveal Beethoven's transformation from passionate young man to troubled musical genius.

Nocturne

October 2020 •English

Inside the halls of an elite arts academy, a timid music student begins to outshine her more accomplished and outgoing twin sister when she discovers a mysterious notebook belonging to a recently deceased classmate.

Breaking Rachmaninoff

April 2023 •English

A humorous documentary about the search for a great composer who managed to overcome his depression by spelling his own name wrong.

O, Fortuna! A portrait of the composer of Carmina Burana, Carl Orff

March 2011 •French

Jean-Sébastien Bach : "Jésus demeure ma joie"

Invalid date •French

Amin

October 2010 •English

AMIN portrays Qashqai musician Amin Aghaie, a young modern nomad and his family who despite facing steep financial, cultural and political obstacles are dedicated to their art and culture. Amin travels to remote towns and villages to record the music of the surviving masters whose numbers decline each year. His nomadic family are selling their meager belongings to help support their son's education in performance and ethnomusicology at Tchaikovsky's Conservatory in Kyiv, Ukraine, but it is not enough. Amin, desperate to finish his academic education, sells his violins one at a time just to pay for his tuition.

Schubert and His Music

January 1954 •English

Describes the life of Franz Schubert. Explains the character of his music and conveys the flavor of early 19th century Vienna which influenced his compositions.

Shut Up and Play the Piano

September 2018 •English

The documentary follows Chilly Gonzales from his native Canada to late '90s underground Berlin, and via Paris to the world's great philharmonic halls. Diving deep into the dichotomy of Gonzales' stage persona, where self-doubt and megalomania are just two sides of the same coin.

Elgar: Fantasy of a Composer on a Bicycle

September 2002 •English

Ken Russell revisits the life of Elgar, with musical background provided by the composer's works.

Jacqueline du Pré: Genius and Tragedy

March 2025 •English

Yo-Yo Ma narrates a documentary about the remarkable cellist Jacqueline du Pré, whose life and career were cut short by multiple sclerosis.

Herbert von Karajan: Verdi: Requiem

January 1984 •English

This installment in the "Karajan Legacy" series captures the acclaimed conductor leading the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with the Vienna State Opera Chorus and the Sofia National Opera in a masterful performance of Verdi's "Requiem." Filmed in 1984, the concert features an array of renowned soloists, including tenor José Carreras, soprano Anna Tomowa-Sintow, bass-baritone José van Dam, bass Kurt Moll and mezzo-soprano Agnes Baltsa.

Handel and His Music

January 1957 •English

Presents Handel as a key figure in the development of Baroque music. Illustrates with musical selections his contributions to 18th century music including the oratorio form perfected in 'THE MESSIAH.'

Chopin: The Women Behind the Music

October 2010 •English

Documentary about the life of the great pianist and composer Chopin and the story of the women whose voices inspired his music. It is undeniable that Chopin revolutionised the nature of music composed for the piano both technically and emotionally. What is less well known is that the actual musical instrument that provided his greatest source of inspiration was the female voice.

The Arod Quartet: Ménage à 4

March 2023 •French

Ten years of hard work have made the young Arod Quartet one of the most brilliant of its generation. For it takes years to blend together 4 individual talents into one. Their repertoire is ranging from Mozart to Bartok, Debussy to Kurtág.

Strings Attached

June 2020 •English

This documentary delves into the lives, on and off stage, of four young classical musicians who give up the prospect of solo careers to form The Dover Quartet. We are with them from their meeting as students at the Curtis Institute of Music, through their breakthrough win at a prestigious string quartet competition, and when they find themselves touring internationally as their careers take off.

Carmina Burana - Carl Orff - Simon Rattle

December 2004 •Latin

Gala concert from Berlin the world famous Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, in Carl Orff's famous Carmina Burana, an intensely dramatic cantata that remains one of the most performed works of the twentieth century. With an extraordinary vocal line-up soprano Sally Matthews, tenor Lawrence Brownlee and baritone Christian Gerhaher. With Rundfunchor Berlin with Chorus Master Simon Halesey as well as the Knabenchor des Staats- und Domchores Berlin.

Once Upon a Time Michel Legrand

December 2024 •French

Michel Legrand, jazz musician and composer extraordinaire, has left his mark on the history of cinema, including the films of Jacques Demy, especially The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, the 60th anniversary of which is being celebrated in Cannes. Using never-before-seen archives and personal accounts, the film looks back on a lifetime dedicated to music, and the career of a man who served it masterfully to the very end.

Mozart and His Music

January 1954 •English

Mozart's life and music are described against a background of the 18th century and of the European cities which influenced his career. Stresses the classic character of his compositions.

Les Miniatures françaises

April 2024 •French

Chopin, a Sonata in Paris

October 2025 •Polish

He is the talk of the town, the most romantic figure of decadent Parisian nights. When his lungs start bleeding, Chopin knows his days are numbered. Composing becomes his only obsession. The ticking clock rushes him to revolutionize music.