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Four American Composers

  • TV Movie
  • 19831983
  • 3h 40m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
118
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • IMDbPro
Four American Composers (1983)
  • Documentary
This is a 4-part documentary that follows four different contemporary composers performing/creating/building their shows. Peter Greenaway leads us, with a great sense of balance between the ... Read allThis is a 4-part documentary that follows four different contemporary composers performing/creating/building their shows. Peter Greenaway leads us, with a great sense of balance between the performances and the interviews, through the creative process of 4 very different composer... Read allThis is a 4-part documentary that follows four different contemporary composers performing/creating/building their shows. Peter Greenaway leads us, with a great sense of balance between the performances and the interviews, through the creative process of 4 very different composers in style (sound and noise, repetition and discipline, vocal experimentation, poetry and ... Read all
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
118
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Peter Greenaway
  • Writer
    • Peter Greenaway
  • Stars
    • Robert Ashley
    • John Cage
    • Meredith Monk
Top credits
  • Director
    • Peter Greenaway
  • Writer
    • Peter Greenaway
  • Stars
    • Robert Ashley
    • John Cage
    • Meredith Monk
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 2User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos6

    Four American Composers (1983)
    Four American Composers (1983)
    Four American Composers (1983)
    Four American Composers (1983)
    Four American Composers (1983)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Robert Ashley
    John Cage
    John Cage
    Meredith Monk
    Meredith Monk
    Philip Glass
    Philip Glass
    Peter Gordon
    • Self (segment "Ashley")as Self (segment "Ashley")
    Jack Kripl
    • Interevieweeas Intereviewee
    Jill Kroesen
    • (segment "Ashley")as (segment "Ashley")
    Kurt Munkacsi
    • Intervieweeas Interviewee
    Dora Ohrenstein
    • Intervieweeas Interviewee
    Michael Riesman
    • Intervieweeas Interviewee
    'Blue' Gene Tyranny
    • The World's Greatest Piano Player (segment "Ashley")as The World's Greatest Piano Player (segment "Ashley")
    David Van Tieghem
    • The Captain of the Football Team (segment "Ashley")as The Captain of the Football Team (segment "Ashley")
    • Director
      • Peter Greenaway
    • Writer
      • Peter Greenaway
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    This is a 4-part documentary that follows four different contemporary composers performing/creating/building their shows. Peter Greenaway leads us, with a great sense of balance between the performances and the interviews, through the creative process of 4 very different composers in style (sound and noise, repetition and discipline, vocal experimentation, poetry and musical freedom) who are all framed under the same musical genre - contemporary music. A Great way to get introduced to this music and to understand how much of it is intellectual or playful. —Gica Labé
    • independent film
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Genre
      • Documentary
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Connections
      Features Ellis Island (1982)

    User reviews2

    Review
    Top review
    Not Greenaway
    I was able to gain access to only two of the 4 one-hour segments, those on Monk and Ashley. I believe them to be representative. I viewed them looking for Greenaway magic. Now that's too bad because I know the work of Cage and Glass, and have some appreciation of them. Of Monk and Albert, I can only report that they require someone more attuned than I to fashion in the art world. I suspect these two have already been forgotten.

    The presentation is TeeVee documentary, recording the artists' performances (several in the case of Monk). All the art here is that of the documented artist, not of the filmmaker. So if you are looking for Greenaway, don't waste your time.
    helpful•6
    22
    • tedg
    • Jul 29, 2000

    Details

    Edit
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Czworo amerykańskich kompozytorów
    • Filming locations
      • Almeida Theatre, Almeida Street, Islington, London, England, UK
    • Production company
      • Trans Atlantic Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      3 hours 40 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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