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Maria Joćo Pires:Portrait of a Pianist
A film by Werner Zeindler
Sound Format: PCM Stereo; Audio Languages: DE, FR, PT; Subtitles: GB,
FR, DE;
Picture Format: 4:3; DVD 9 / NTSC
rec. 1991 ARTHAUS DVD 109164 [59:00]
The best part of this DVD is the series of performances and rehearsal
sequences given by the wonderful Portuguese pianist Maria Joćo Pires.
This can hardly be described as a portrait of a pianist. There is no
commentary and no real structure to the film. What we have is a number
of short interviews with her mother and the pianist herself. She seems
to be a lovely, deep-thinking, family-orientated but somewhat insecure
lady. She talks of her unhappiness when living in England, Germany and
Switzerland - she admits to being a Latin and that is her culture. She
speaks about her early life and the reasons for her four year absence
from the profession between 1978 and 1982: a minor illness coupled with
the need to be with her young family. She talks about wanting to go
into outer space and of her ambition to live in the country and own
a farm. Her mother talks about her early years when she was a 4 year
old prodigy reducing audiences to tears. There’s not much said
about the music and that’s where the film falls short. What we
don’t get, crucially, is any conversation about the music and
the musicians who have inspired her. There are no interviews with her
peers. The subtitles are in clumsy pigeon English. Despite my reservations
about the content of this film the actual music-making is superb and
very enjoyable. The music Pires plays includes Mozart’s Piano
Concertos Nos. 23 K488 and 21 K467, as well as his Piano Sonata K280,
Chopin’s Nocturne No. 7 in c-sharp minor, Op. 27, No.1, Schumann’s
“Abschied” from Waldszenen Op. 82, Poulenc’s Sonata
for Clarinet and Piano, Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 17 in d-minor,
Op. 31, No. 2 and Schubert’s Moments Musicaux No. 2 A flat major
D780.
Pires' Mozart playing is a joy and she gives a sensitive, riveting
performance of the Chopin Nocturne. For me this was the highlight of
the disc. We also see her rehearsing the Poulenc sonata (what a terrific
piece) with clarinettist Michel Portal and the Brahms Violin Sonata
No.3 with the brilliant Augustin Dumay. Both of these sequences illustrate
Ms Pires’ expertise as a wonderful chamber music partner. The
level of communication is for all to see in the constant eye contact
- there’s a palpable sense of spontaneous creativity taking place.
The film opens and closes with Mozart’s Piano Concertos but no
mention is made of the orchestra or the venue and date. This lack of
attention to detail is disappointing. The scenery is reminiscent of
Salzburg and maybe this is from the Festspielhaus but that is a pure
guess. It’s great Mozart playing all the same and the finale of
the Concerto No.21 brings proceedings to an exhilarating close.
So it’s full marks for the music and the musicianship. The quality
of the sound and picture are very good indeed but the film itself isn’t
especially interesting and in truth it’s a bit of a let-down.
