Music from the Inside Out

Enjoyable, sweet, sometimes moving documentary about the lives and approaches to music of various members of the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra.

While a very good film, its not quite a great one, as it stays a little on the surface (it could actually use more running time).

Plus talking in literal terms about the feelings of playing music seems like it is sometimes simply hard to do. So some of the stated insights seem obvious. (e.g. one has to subsume one's ego when playing in an orchestra).

The sections where we see music itself being played(of a wide, appealing variety) played are well-photographed and absorbing.

What an excellent film! The filmmaker spent five years with musicians from The Philadelphia Orchestra, and tells their stories off and on the stage. It begins the film by asking the question: "What's music?" Then it went on to explore the profound intimacy between these musicians and music.

I was deeply moved into tears by this film, which I would have never expected with a documentary about classical music! It's so heartwarming to listen to the musicians, especially the Concertmaster David Kim, sharing their passion and inspiration with the audience, with the most beautiful music playing by these musicians in the background. I was incredibly charmed when the film spent a lengthy shot to show a street artist in Köln playing Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" with only a accordion! This movie shows how art and music can enrich our lives and the humanity when we open our heart to make the connection to music. It certainly makes me appreciate more about classical music and talent of those musicians.

My friend and I left absolutely elated after having seen "Music From the Inside Out". In fact, we feel that this documentary should be required viewing, not only at all music schools the world over but for all students, ages 10 years old an up. Yes, some pieces in this documentary dragged a little, but on the whole it's one of the few movies I wouldn't hesitate to see twice. I'm sure I would enjoy it just as much the second time around as I did the first time. There is some criticism of the voice overs ... well, this documentary has a story to tell, so I'm just thankful that the background to this story was so uplifting and beautiful. When I came home, I immediately telephoned and e-mailed friends, telling them to run, not walk, to see "Music From the Inside Out". I can't believe that this wonderful offering will only be shown for one week at only one theater in the Washington, D.C. area! It should be spread to every movie theater with reduced prices, so as to make converts of the many who have never been exposed to this caliber of classical music. My admiration and congratulations go to Daniel Anker - bravo!

I just got the chance to see this screened at the 2006 Wisconsin Film Festival, and I'm so glad I did. This was one of many documentaries I saw this weekend. It had the distinction of bringing me closest to it's subjects. The music is wonderful, and the film answered a question I've always had about Symphony musicians. Namely: what do they do when they are 'not working'? While I enjoy classical music, I am a casual consumer. I don't think unfamiliarity with classical music would make this inaccessible. On the contrary, it brings that music down from the heights and puts a very human face on it. Recommended to all music lovers.

I loved this movie.

One thing that I've found to be so interesting about this film is the very strong emotion that it frequently evokes in the audience. The first time I saw it (opening week in downtown Philadelphia), both my husband and I cried, and so did the friends that came with us, and judging by the sniffling going on around us, so did a number of others. The second time I saw it, I could only find a seat at the end of the back row in a neighborhood art-house theater. When the big Brahms finale came up, the entire back row burst out humming the tune with huge enthusiasm (and yes, you do know it, even if you didn't know it was Brahms). The third time I saw it, I came with my extended family, and we had to sit way down front. When the movie ended, the group of people sitting behind us stood up, leaned over and said with urgency, "Did you LOVE this movie?" They had that blissful look on their faces that said that they had seriously connected with the film and really wanted to feel that others shared that connection.

I think it's not surprising that people who go to see it expecting that it'll be "about" the Philly Orchestra, or that it will somehow reveal the inner mysteries of music, or that it will lay out the back story of professional musicians rehearsing and performing a whole piece, or that it will have a linear narrative structure of, say, a documentary about the Civil War, might feel a bit baffled or restless.

But I do think that the movie uses the music and the musicians' personal stories to illuminate corners of the human experience we all share--which is why so many different kinds of people find it so meaningful. If you listen to what people are talking about after seeing it, they're all responding to different, and elemental, things that music can dig up inside us. Some really respond to the connections that music can make between parent and child; some with the vignettes showing kids laughing like crazy with a violinist playing up the hammy side of a sprightly little bit of a tune; some are teenage boys who don't give a rip about classical music but who completely got the exchanges about teamwork vs. individual effort; and a lot of people just like the joy the musicians find in bluegrass, or salsa, or painting.

The point is not what the music, or the movie, is saying literally; it's what you are open to hearing with your heart. Go see this movie, and listen from the inside out. You'll hear it too.