In an accompanying booklet, filmmaker Bruno Monsaingeon explains that one of the changes here from the original 1977 version of Mademoiselle—a sensitive portrait of Nadia Boulanger, arguably the most influential music teacher of the 20th century—was the removal (for rights reasons) of a scene from Love Story, in which Ali McGraw's character tells her boyfriend that she's going to Paris to study with Boulanger. The reference, Monsaingeon writes, underscores Boulanger's (1887-1979) legendary status in the music world. Boulanger was especially known for the remarkable Wednesday group classes held at her apartment, where she taught such prominent figures as Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, George Gershwin, Gian Carlo Menotti, Astor Piazzolla, Philip Glass, and Quincy Jones. This reworked cut of Mademoiselle (the title by which Boulanger preferred to be called) features substantial footage from those Wednesday sessions, with Boulanger commenting insightfully on pieces by Mozart, Schumann, Brahms, and Bach, along with extended excerpts from her interviews with Monsaingeon, which are especially notable for her recollections about Stravinsky and her reflections on the spiritual quality of great music. Also included are reverential anecdotes from former students, including Bernstein and composer-conductor Igor Markevitch (a bonus disc includes a complete 1967 performance of Mozart's Symphony No. 38 with Markevitch conducting the ORTF Philharmonic). Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
Mademoiselle: Nadia Boulanger
(2007) 79 min. DVD: $28.98 (booklet included). Ideale Audience International (dist. by Naxos of America). Volume 23, Issue 2
Mademoiselle: Nadia Boulanger
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