Essay on Rehearsal

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1976

Production year

1976

Premiere

23 September 1976

Runtime

17 min

Director

Evald Schorm

Category

film

Genre

music

Typology

documentarytheatrical distributionshort

Original title

Etuda o zkoušce

Czech title

Etuda o zkoušce

English title

Essay on Rehearsal

Working title

Václav Neumann

Summary

Evald Schorm's first film after a forced break from filmmaking of several years is the documentary Essay on Rehearsal, which focuses on the personality of Václav Neumann in the full range of moments and emotions that create the work of a conductor. We get an almost immediate glimpse into the rehearsal process of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, and behind the scenes.

Synopsis

In the Dvořák Hall of Prague's Rudolfinum, the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra rehearses Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 under the direction of conductor Václav Neumann. Neumann spends moments of concentration and rest in the conductor's lounge overlooking Prague Castle. During the rehearsal, the conductor describes the content of the piece to the musicians. At the end of the concert, there is a short demonstration of the performance of the piece in front of the audience, again in the Dvořák Hall.

Note

The film was released as an opener to the British drama Dead Cert (1974; directed by Tony Richardson).

Commentary

Crew and creators

Director

Evald Schorm

Screenstory

Evald Schorm

Screenplay

Evald Schorm

Commentary by

Evald Schorm

Director of Photography

Jan Špáta

Sound Designer

Gustav Houdek

Production Manager

Máša Charouzdová

Music

Music Composed by

archivní

Selected Music

Ludwig van Beethoven (Symfonie č. 5 c moll /Osudová/)

Music Performed by

Česká filharmonie (Music Conducted by Václav Neumann)

Locations

Praha, Josefov (Praha), náměstí Jana Palacha (Josefov), Rudolfinum /interiér/ (náměstí Jana Palacha)

Production info

Original Title

Etuda o zkoušce

Czech Title

Etuda o zkoušce

English Title

Essay on Rehearsal

Working Title

Václav Neumann

Category

film

Typology

documentarytheatrical distribution

Genre

music

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1976

Production Year

1976

Production specifications

withdrawal from distribution 1 January 1989

Premiere

premiere 23 September 1976 /unsuitable for youths/ (kino 64 U Hradeb, Praha)
premiere 15 October 1976 /unsuitable for youths/ (celostátní)
premiere 21 October 1976 /suitable for youths/ (kino Nonstop '60 /1 týden/, Praha)
premiere 21 October 1976 /suitable for youths/ (celostátní /kina Nonstop '60/)
renewed premiere 1 March 1984 /unsuitable for youths/ (filmové kluby)

Distribution slogan

no caption

Technical info

Duration typology

short film

Duration in minutes

17 min

Original length in metres

495 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech

Awards

Vítěz

Festival: 27. mezinárodní filmový festival Berlinale Berlín

1977
Západní Berlín / Federal Republic of Germany