The Silence Before Bach (Die Stille vor Bach)

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84%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 19

65%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 397
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Movie Info

Looks at the profound relationship between image and music where the latter is not merely conceived as subsidiary to the image but as a subject of the narration in its own right. It springs from a previously defined musical structure, and the soundtrack feeds on works by J.S. Bach and two of Felix Mendelssohn's sonatas; a promenade through the 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st centuries led by the hand of J.S. Bach.

Cast

Christian Brembeck
Alex Brendemühl
Feodor Atkine
Daniel Ligorio
Georg Christoph Biller
Georgina Cardona
Franz Schuchart
Christian Atanasiu
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Critic Reviews for The Silence Before Bach (Die Stille vor Bach)

All Critics (19) | Top Critics (10)

  • The Silence Before Bach is a movie in which to take refuge, and it abjures the summer heat of pop culture for a cool and lasting immersion in the miracles that people are and can create.

    Aug 20, 2009 | Rating: 4/4 | Full Review…

    Ty Burr

    Boston Globe
    Top Critic

  • The engaging enigma of The Silence Before Bach demonstrates an artistic wisdom that is as satisfying as it is challenging.

    Aug 1, 2008 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

    Ted Fry

    Seattle Times
    Top Critic

  • The demolition of the music bio-pic as witnessed by Todd Haynes' I'm Not There and the parody Walk Hard continues robustly with this time-tripping melange from Spanish director Pere Portabella.

    Jan 31, 2008 | Rating: 3/4

    Jan Stuart

    Newsday
    Top Critic

  • Provide[s] gorgeous lensing and art direction and some of the world's most beautiful music.

    Jan 30, 2008 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

    V.A. Musetto

    New York Post
    Top Critic

  • Like the music it celebrates, this is a film made in glory of the world.

    Jan 30, 2008 | Rating: 4/5

    Manohla Dargis

    New York Times
    Top Critic

  • Arguably stronger conceptually than visually, surreal mix of the unexpected and the banal is definitely not to everybody's taste. But the music is inarguably sublime.

    Jan 29, 2008 | Full Review…

    Ronnie Scheib

    Variety
    Top Critic
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Audience Reviews for The Silence Before Bach (Die Stille vor Bach)

  • Feb 10, 2008
    [font=Century Gothic]"The Silence Before Bach" is a partially successful attempt at showing the journey that the music of Johann Sebastian Bach(1685-1750) has made from the 18th century to the present day, as displayed in a series of vignettes starting and ending with a player piano. In fact, there are a wide variety of musical instruments used in this film including a harpsichord(which I've always liked the sound of), a kickass organ, a wind instrument, a harmonica and cellos played on a subway train. [/font] [font=Century Gothic]The journey started with Bach working as a cantor in a church in Leipzig, so it may not be a surprise that the one continuing thread throughout is the importance of religion in his work, even in this thankfully more secular age. For example, one character drives a truck cab decorated with Virgin Mary's on the side. While seamless transitions happen throughout, a graceful segue from one definition of passion to another is particularly of interest. But the one element missing is the creative spark. And if you say that it is divine, I will scream.[/font]
    Walter M Super Reviewer
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