Plot introduction
肖邦的《G小调第一叙事曲》总长仅九分钟，诞生至今已有近二百年，却依然有着特殊的魅力，不但在视频网站上创下数百万的点击率，更影响着今天许多人的生活。本片讲述了两个普通人——苏格兰青年保罗和日本中学生桃香，在各自经历了人生的不幸之后，因肖邦的叙事曲而重新振作，勇敢面对今后的生活。伊莫金·库珀、弗拉基米尔·阿什肯纳齐、朗朗、斯蒂芬·霍夫等钢琴演奏家也将轮番登场，详细剖析这首不同寻常的钢琴曲，为我们揭开音符中的奥妙。Thishour-longdocumentary,directedbyBAFTAandEmmyawardwinningdirectorJamesKent,meetsJapaneseteenagerMomokaandScottishmusicstudentPaulMurraytoexplorehowChopin’sextraordinaryBalladeNumber1transformsthelivesofordinarypeopleandillustrateshowclassicalmusicstillpenetratescontemporarylifeinunexpectedandpowerfulways.Momoka,isa15-year-oldpianistfromSendai,Japan,whosecommunitywasdecimatedbythe2011tsunamiandearthquakes.ForMomoka,theBalladeembodiestheanguishandrebellionshefeelsbutdoesn’tallowtosurface.For22-year-oldPaulfromGlasgow,thepieceislife-changing.PaulgrewupinBellshill,aworkingclasssuburbofGlasgow.Hefirstplayedpianoat15,anditopenedupawholenewworldforhim.DuringhisfirsttermstudyingontheB.Mus(Hons)degreeprogrammeattheUniversityofAberdeen,PaulwasdiagnosedwithabraintumourandthenMSwhichbotheventuallycausedhimtolosetheabilitytowalkandtoplaywithhisrighthand.Waitinginhishospitalbedinbetweenoperationsoverthreemonths,heplayedtheBalladeagainandagainontheiPodhisdadStephenhadgivenhim.Itwasthatsinglepiece’semotionalpullthatPaulcreditswiththereturnofhismemory.Paultoldussomemoreabouthisinvolvementintheprogramme:"IhavebeenforsometimenowtranscribingtheBalladeingminorfortheleft-handalone.ThereasonbeingIplayedthispiecebackinhighschoolandwiththemedicalcomplicationslosttheabilitytoplayperhapsmyfavouritepieceofalltime.LuckilyformythispiecewasgoingtobethesubjectofamajordocumentaryandwithmystoryandattachmenttotheBalladeIwasselectedtobeinvolved!"Thefilmincludesinterviewswithsomeoftheworld’sgreatestpianistsincludingStephenHough,LangLangandVladimirAshkenazy.ItwasshownonChannel4inAugustandtrailerscanstillbeviewedonYouTube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J6KDmTE0F0,http://youtu.be/4JM_KELsU4cThedocumentarywasawarded2ndplaceinthe’Halo’BestArtsDocumentaryawardcategoryattheawardsceremonyonMonday,4November2013attheQueenElizabethHallatLondon’sSouthbankCentre.TheceremonywasfilmedandshownonSkyAtlantic.
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