1. Amadeus (1984)
There are some films that take your breath away. Amadeus is a film about despair, unintentional comedy, suicide and madness – all shot through the storm and drive of Mozart’s greatest works. The film dressed Vienna in a seemingly endless supply of costumed citizens meticulously recreated. This is the best classical music film ever made, and I’d wrestle anyone to the ground who would dare say otherwise.
2. Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993)
Glenn Gould was Toronto’s very own classical music demigod. He has inspired countless musicians, sculptors, painters, and writers. One such writer was David Young who wrote a play simply called “Glenn”. François Girard used this as the basis to create a serious of vignettes that are structured like Bach’s 32 Goldberg Variations. The film features Colm Feore as Gould and is breathtaking in the role.
3. Tous les Matins du monde (1991)
Translated as “All The World’s Mornings”, Tous les Matins du monde is a beautifully filmed depiction of the relationship between two viola da gamba players Sainte-Colombe and Marin Marais. “‘Amadeus’ began with the memories of an old man still jealous of the young genius who was his rival, film critic Roger Ebert said. “‘Tous Les Matins du Monde’ begins with the memories of an old man who envies his own genius when he was young. That makes it infinitely more poignant.”
4. Hilary And Jackie (1998)
“Hilary and Jackie” is a devastating story about two gifted, yet competitive sisters Hilary and Jacqueline du Pré. While Flautist Hilary looks like she will become the most accomplished between them, Jacqueline pulls ahead only to be conquered by the fate of multiple sclerosis. The film is a study of pressures of creative life and family and garnered both Emily Watson (as Jacqueline) and then newcomer Rachel Griffiths (as Hilary) Oscar nominations.
5. Seymour, An Introduction (2015)
“I’ve been hunting for mentors my entire life,” actor Ethan Hawke said of Seymour Bernstein – a little-known music teacher living New York City. Hawke meet Bernstein at a dinner party during a tumultuous time in his life with stage fright and self-doubt. It turned out Bernstein knew those feelings all too well and gave up a career as a virtuoso concert pianist career to teach music. Hawke was so inspired by meeting him he decided to film a documentary about him. For more, read our story on Seymour Bernstein here.
6. Shine (1996)
For those interested in marveling at the way the human spirit can miraculously heal itself, there is no better way than to do it through music. Shine is based very loosely on the life of the Australian concert pianist David Helfgott who struggled with mental illness early in his career. The film includes David Helfgott performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No 3 In D Minor, Opus 30, which makes it worth watching alone. Geoffrey Rush won an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
7. The Red Violin (1998)
This film centres on the life of “The Red Violin” up for auction in Montreal. After a foreboding tarot card reading in 1681 Cremona, a master violin maker’s wife finds her future interconnected with the violin with tragic consequence. The mysterious instrument passes through many different owners from around the world.
[Corection Jan 18, 2016: The previous version incorrectly stated the Red Violin auction took place in Toronto]
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