Featuring unprecedented access to Michael Nyman's working life, this film shows one of the great composers of our time in all his diversity and endless energy. From London to Berlin, Mexico, Poland, the Netherlands, and Portugal the film is also a journey through the musical world today. It shows Michael Nyman, the musician, in his concerts with The Michael Nyman Band and live collaborations with other internationally known musicians and orchestras. But throughout his journeys, this film discovers Nyman's increasing passion for filming and photography.
A brief overview and focus on composers Philip Glass, Julia Wolfe, John Cage, Steve Reich, Elliott Carter and their contemporaries.
Peer into the world of contemporary composer John Adams with this documentary that blends performance footage with insightful interviews and commentary from his collaborators and the master himself. Highlights include performances of Adams's Grammy Award-winning operas “Nixon in China” and “El Niño” and excerpts from Penny Woolcock’s film adaptation of “The Death of Klinghoffer”. Works by Steve Reich and Conlon Nancarrow are also performed by the Ensemble InterContemporain at the Théâtre Musical de Paris-Châtelet.
Delve into the life story and professional career of musical genius Steve Reich, considered one of the greatest American composers of the 20th century. Manfred Waffender's documentary reveals how Reich's minimalist style and phrasing innovations have altered the direction of musical history. Special attention is paid to "City Life," a collection of everyday streets sounds brought together to create an aural representation of the urban landscape.
This film consists of five segments which interweave archival footage with interviews to highlight aspects of Miami's history. The segments are: On Flagler Street--about the old movie palaces; Down on Second Avenue--the Black entertainment mecca of the 1920's and 1930's; Waiting at the station--the railroad; Night lights--a family of neon sign makers; On the river--Plato Cook and commerce on the Miami river.
With participation of John Cage, Earle Brown, David Tudor, Gordon Mumma, David Behrman, Max Neuhaus, Morton Subotnik, Phil Corner, Joe Jones, Alvin Lucier, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Ben Patterson, Wolf Rosenberg In 1971 we produced, in association with West German Television, a documentation on New York’s musical avant-garde. It was broadcast only in Germany at the time. By 2010, after nearly 40 years, it seemed desirable to recycle the performances and interviews with the composers and to create a revealing look back to those years for English-speaking New Music fans. The film offers valuable insights into the nature and issues of advanced composition at the beginning of the 1970s.
Commissioned by the San Francisco Mime Troupe as a short to be screened during intermission for its rather infamous 1965 Minstrel Show (Civil Rights from the Cracker Barrel), which assaulted racial stereotypes by wildly exaggerating them. Scored by Steve Reich. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2007.