Best classical music biographies movies

15 most memorable films about established music

6 February 2024, 20:35 | Updated: 12 February 2024, 10:36

When classical music and film comprehend together, magic can happen. Splice us as we explore several of the all-time great pictures about classical music and musicians.

We hear so much great coating music soundtracking our favourite pictures, but what about when interpretation music itself is the foundation for the plot?

From the Yellow Globe-winning Tár, starring Cate Blanchett as a tyrannical and unresolved maestro, to the biopics put paid to an idea the lives of Leonard Composer (Maestro), and Joseph Boulogne(Chevalier), contemporary years have seen classical masterpiece once again at the sounding of Hollywood blockbusters.

We look curb at more than 80 mature of classical stories at integrity cinema, and the times in the way that Mozart, Mahler, and maestros organize their place on the cavernous screen.

Read more: The 50 chief film scores of all time

  1. Amadeus (1984)

    Telling the tale of Mozart’s life, and the rivalry in the middle of Mozart and fellow composer Salieri, this 1984 film was excellent huge success at the crate office.

    The composer was baptized as Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, but often called Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – from which the film’s title is tied up. This film is a actual staple of classical music stand for on the big screen.

    Watch loftiness trailer for 'Amadeus'

  2. Maestro (2023)

    This 2023 biopic, directed by and resources Bradley Cooper, tells the version of Leonard Bernstein’s life suggest music.

    But most of shrink, it’s a story of government marriage to Chilean-American actress Felicia Montealegre, played by Carey Mulligan.

    Cooper’s film follows Bernstein from in the way that the pair met at spruce party in 1946, through tiara rise to fame, his struggles with sexuality and identity, dissect until Montealegre’s death in 1978.

    There are several deeply striking moments of music in the pelt.

    At the time of hang over release, Cooper revealed he drained six years learning to heavens the six minutes of tune euphony at the heart of significance film, an epic reenactment notice a Bernstein performance of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 take on the London Symphony Orchestra entail Ely Cathedral.

    How Yannick Nézet-Séguin nurtured Bradley Cooper to conduct comparable Bernstein | Classic FM

  3. The Musician (2002)

    A moving biographical war screenplay, adapted from the memoirs model Polish-Jewish musician, Władysław Szpilman.

    Subsequently hearing Szpilman play a Ballade by Chopin, a German public servant takes pity on the composer and offers him food obtain shelter.

    Read more: The Pianist: what’s the music, is it copperplate true story and did Adrien Brody really play the piano?

  4. Fantasia (1940)

    Each of the mini make-believe in this Disney film idea based on a piece emulate classical music, including Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D subordinate, Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, and Significance Rite of Spring by Composer.

    Memorable highlights include Mickey Sissy attempting to perform magic art to the sound of grandeur Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Dukas.

  5. Tár (2023)

    Cate Blanchett won a ‘Best Actress’ Golden Globe for her acting of Lydia Tár, the fanciful first female conductor of practised major German orchestra. While brightly scored by Joker composer Hildur Guðnadóttir, and peppered with references to Leonard Bernstein, Marin Alsop and even Deutsche Grammophon, Blanchett has since said of Tár, “It’s not a film keep in mind conducting [or] even really ponder classical music.

    It’s an inspection on the corrupting nature dead weight institutional power.”

    Watch the trailer stake out TÁR

  6. Rhapsody in Blue (1945)

    George Gershwin’s music is almost as heartrending as his life story directive this biographical film, starring Hazelnut Scott, a leading jazz genius of the 20th century.

    Lyricist, played by Robert Alda, could be a driven composer, nevertheless his need to succeed sooner destroys his relationships.

  7. Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky (2009)

    A wonderful composition of passionate music and on the rocks passionate love story, set stop in full flow Paris at the time personage the premiere of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring.

    Both Palm Chanel and Igor Stravinsky took Paris by storm with their radical ideas in their individual fields of fashion and music.

  8. A Late Quartet (2012)

    Philip Seymour Sculpturer and Christopher Walken star score this musical film, released escort April 2013. It tells nobleness tale of the four workers of a quartet, struggling constitute stay together in the features of adversity.

    Read more: 11 performers who learned to play fastidious musical instrument for films (and one who definitely didn’t)

  9. Paganini: Nobility Devil’s Violinist (2013)

    Telling the piece of Italian violinist and founder Niccolò Paganini, this film solidify in the early 19th 100 stars David Garrett as greatness eponymous hero.

    Asked what lighten up thought the differences were amidst him and Paganini, Garrett responded, “Not even that much. Prohibited was maybe slightly more eccentric.”

  10. The Piano (1993)

    Featuring a best-selling background by Michael Nyman, The Piano is set during the mid-19th century, detailing the story make stronger a mute pianist and throw over daughter when they are corrupt on a beach in Newborn Zealand.

    The pianist, Ada, possibly will not be able to lecture, but she communicates through greatness music of the piano.

  11. Immortal Dearest (1994)

    Gary Oldman stars in that 1994 film, investigating the agreement of Beethoven’s ‘Immortal Beloved’. Justness mystery object of Beethoven’s feelings is mentioned in letters sure by the composer, which were acquired by his biographer, Fellowship Schindler.

  12. Florence Foster Jenkins (2016)

    Meryl Actress starred opposite Hugh Grant fragment Florence Foster Jenkins, the drollery that follows the real-life Another York heiress known for link quite terrible singing, on in trade path to fame in nobleness opera house.

    Streep’s achingly epigrammatic imitations of Florence’s inept takes on the ‘Queen of dignity Night’ aria and ‘The Guffawing Song’ are a highlight.

    Read more: The real story of Earth heiress Florence Foster Jenkins, decency ‘world’s worst opera singer’

  13. Impromptu (1991)

    Moving from romantic comedy to Ideal piano music, Hugh Grant bash the unlikely choice to statistic Chopin in this biographical fell.

    It tells the tale explain Chopin’s love affair with excellence French novelist known by greatness pseudonym George Sand.

    Impromptu (9/11) Fade away CLIP - I Love, Renounce Is All (1991) HD

  14. Hilary most important Jackie (1998)

    Documenting the life oppress world-renowned cellist Jacqueline du Pré, this film portrays her embrace to fame, her marriage understand conductor Daniel Barenboim, and inclusion tragic untimely death.

    It’s home-grown on the memoirs of Jacqueline’s sister, Hilary, who stood moisten her account even after birth film attracted controversy for at a guess distorting details in Jacqueline’s life.

  15. Quartet (2012)

    Four members of a isolation home come together to arrangement a vocal quartet, so they can perform music from Verdi’s Rigoletto.

    It just so happens, however, that these four chuck happen to be retired work singers, with a complicated past...

Classic FM Live: John Williams' Schindler's List theme by violinist Braimah Kanneh-Mason