Unquiet Traveller

Unquiet Traveller is a documentary film by Bruno Monsaingeon about pianist Piotr Anderszewski. Also features Dorota Anderszewska on violin, the Philharmonia Orchestra London conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen. Released 2010, disc has 5.1 PCM sound. Grade: D

After admiring Monsaingeon's Glenn Gould: Hereafter documentary, this Anderzewski title is a severe letdown. Piotr Anderszewski is another piano genius who likes to sing while he plays. But Anderszewski has a long way to go before his recording credits would rival those of Gould, and Anderszewski shows nothing on this HDVD like Gould's intellect and comprehensive communication skills. Here's what we learn about Piotra in this HDVD: he's a great piano player and a charming young rascal who may be suffering from arrested development. He loves to talk and says things like (quoted from the film), "Mozart's premature death is something which I never stop mourning. It's something I can't bring myself to accept." This is a sentiment that has been in the breast of every music lover since December 5, 1791, so this "reflection" from Anderszewski is not worth reporting in a documentary. Right on the package, it is stated that this HDVD is "located somewhere between a documentary and pure fiction." Since you don't know what is true and what is fantasy, you don't know what to think about any of it.

One thing I did like was Anderszewski's transcriptions of opera and orchestral music such as Mozart's Magic Flute; but, of course, the piano player had to ruin it all by singing, speaking aside, and mugging for the camera. Also, I think that most or all of the extensive voice-over narration was Anderszewski's voice. Well, just as professional announcers should not play piano at a concert, professional piano players should not record voice-overs in fuzzy, soft, heavily-accented mumbled English.

If you are  an Anderszewski groupie, you have the have this HDVD; otherwise, I can't think why anyone would want it, and give it grade "D."