Search - Touch the Sound - A Sound Journey With Evelyn Glennie on DVD

Touch the Captivating Sound of Evelyn Glennie

Tsuyoshi | Kyoto, Japan | 05/19/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Thomas Riedelsheimer's "Touch The Sound - A Sound Journey with Evelyn Glennie" presents the captivating world of sound and music, perceived and played by Evelyn Glennie, a renowned percussionist. I confess I never knew her name before watching the film, and perhaps you don't know her, but if so, don't let that fact discourage you to watch the documentary.

The documentary follows the journey of Evelyn Glennie traveling around the world - New York, Germany, Scotland, and Japan -- to discover the fascinating world of sound and music. For Evelyn, who has been hearing-impaired since she was 8 years-old, listening to sound and playing music should be called `touching the sound,' as the film's title suggest. And this documentary film, with the combination of beautiful images and thrilling music, is an attempt to explore the world perceived by Evelyn Glennie.

Though the film contains the interview with Evelyn, it is most arresting when it shows the gifted musician playing and improvising the instruments. The most beautiful moments is Evelyn's solo performance of playing the snare drum at New York's Grand Central Station. Another two standout scenes in this documentary film are her improvisation with guitarist/composer Fred Frith in a huge deserted factory in Cologne, Germany, and the Taiko drummers of `Za Ondekoza' in Fuji City, Japan.

The interviews given by Evelyn are slightly disappointing. Though the film brings her back to the farm in Aberdeen, Scotland, where she grew up as child, and gives her some occasions to talk about her views on sound and music, what she says sounds sometimes a bit too ordinary. She is mostly reticent about her life, and as to her remarks about the sound, the film includes the meditation at the Zen garden at Ryo-anji Temple in Kyoto, but it seems the artist is trying to find the right words to describe what she feels. Even the camera occasionally fails to reveal the artist's heart. When Evelyn is listening to the loud bleeping electronic sound of the basement food floor at department stores in Kyoto, what does her close-up face means? Is she enjoying it? Or is she annoyed by it?

For all its flaws as documentary film, "Touch The Sound - A Sound Journey with Evelyn Glennie" has thrilling moments that easily make up for the lack of words. Those moments are filled with her music, of which touching sound and thumping beat would fascinate the people who are not particularly fond of classic or modern music."

Captivating Portrait of an Artist

Michael Bettine | Milwaukee, WI United States | 08/12/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The person who labeled this, "Disappointing," missed the point altogether. While I agree that the actual performances are the most captivating part, the other parts of the film give us insight into why those performances are so captivating. Yes, it is a noisy world, so noisy that it can even inspire a deaf musician!

As a percussionist, what I like most about this film, is that while Glennie is best known for her work with symphony orchestras, the music here is improvised. And with that, it is often very playful (not the serious stuff of classical music). Glennie is at her best when challenged by the avant garde guitar stylings of Fred Frith. His view of seeing everything as possible sound seems to inspire the natural curiousness of Glennie (Frith takes a bow to various metal beams in the abandoned factory they are filming in, noting the sounds they make). Their duo improvisations are the highlight of the film. [As a side note, it would have been nice to have an option to view all the material they did as a separate feature. And what about a CD of their improvisations???]

Glennie is also playful and imaginative when she plays glasses, cans, and bottles in a Japanese club, showing that the music is in the musician, not the instruments. Surprisingly, some of the generous out takes reveal more of Glennie herself.

All in all a fascinating portrait of a fascinating musician. Highly recommended."

Touch The Sound Touch the Child

David E. Nelson | San Francisco | 12/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What a great inspirational movie. In my Sound for Picture classes here in the bay area I plan on using the DVD as a starting point for the students in understanding film sound. Sound has never before been portrayed as ambient/organic and musical as well as it is in this film. Check it out.."

Touch the Sound

Peter J. Bodge | 11/29/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Saw it in a theatre last night and am still in awe. An aural and a visual delight. DVD Soon? PLEASE!!"