Can Cate Blanchett ACTUALLY Conduct?

we heard you -- we're finally reviewing Tár
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[@Maggie-cd9hc]

to be fair, the offstage trumpet being a controversial choice was a plot point in the film! its subtle but meant to hint at the conductor’s arrogance

[@VivaLaVittoria]

And where everyone sits/stands/moves is the director's decision, not the actors'!

[@tekraynak]

Exactly! It goes to her conversation with Andris about making the piece “hers” by adding some ridiculous element

[@jacobamidon3114]

I also think of it as a bit of a dig that she wasn’t as good as she thought she was. She can’t compose anything herself and her big “innovation” was to remove something unique.

[@tekraynak]

@@jacobamidon3114 agreed! She is such an interesting character, I learn more about her the more I watch the film and interact with these observations :)

[@damara8729]

This feels like a perfect example of how (like Kirsten Dunst recently said) "method acting is something only men can afford to do". Like, to have space for the pretentiousness of it. And the fact that Cate's performance that stood on its own merit and didn't have a deluge of self-aggrandizing promotions vs. Cooper's nonsense and saying he spent '7 years learning to conduct' was actually the more accurate of the two... *chef's kiss*

[@faithxu5558]

Tbh I think Cooper was just a really big fan of conducting and got too excited to be accurate without doing legit practice. His conducting looked like he got too swept away with the excitement to make eye contact with the right sections at the right times which made it really confusing to follow any cues imo Whereas Cate is calmer and taking the time to make eye contact at the right times and it just makes more sense for following.

[@cariboubearmalachy1174]

Between Brad and Cate, I think the latter is more promoted as a great acting talent who takes her craft seriously.

[@Leo0718]

Cooper is a hack.

[@hothotheat3000]

Cate’s a humble lady who doesn’t have to declare herself a great. Everyone knows she’s great. Cooper is desperate for recognition.

[@rics1883]

Blanchett is legendary actor, one of the greatest who doesn’t rely on marketing but rather merit of performance. She has never given a bad performance.

[@monsoon1234567890]

"Can I just say, they look like brass players" lol

[@chickenosaurus_rex]

Legend says that to this day Brett is still pretending to be Eddy

[@ItIsJustJudy]

Having professional brass players in my family, I agree with Brett.

[@Ny.4981]

As a french horn player, I’m always wondering what a typical brass player looks like then….

[@hypnoteapot]

​@@Ny.4981you.

[@izasawicka2353]

@@chickenosaurus_rex right??? I have noticed that in recent videos he always says "can i just say".... Brett be carefull, you are becoming Eddy!

[@MissCaraMint]

Haha. Dudes got so carried away way by her accurate conducting performance that they started critisizing her conducting choices. Now that’s a convincing performance.

[@romilrh]

**Lydia Tar tackles the conductor** TwoSet: "Very accurate, I've seen this before a lot actually"

[@kingdain159]

I can’t get over the fact that the biggest hint they’re a real orchestra is how the brass section looks

[@xavozz7839]

She even called the solo trumpet by his real name ;) Christian Höcherl, great player

[@roxyamused]

lols

[@paavobergmann4920]

If you played in an orchestra, you´ll know. They really do.

[@jesus-of-cheeses]

The concertmaster is the only orchestra musician there who’s not an actual orchestra musician. Everyone else is from Dresden Philharmonic. There’s a supporting cellist character who’s an actual cellist. I’m far more impressed how well these musicians act than how well Kate Blanchett conducts. Btw, 2set should do a review of the whole movie. It covers some interesting issues (conductor toxicity and abuse). There are also some classical inside jokes that I don’t think a lot of commentators got.

[@elizabethtout7163]

Yes, why waste time acknowledging Cate’s brilliance when she’s never anything less than brilliant. Ho hum.

[@MattMattGu]

As someone who used to work at a classical music artist agency, I laughed at the industry inside jokes. I was probably the only one in the cinema laughing at those jokes. Tár is a brilliant film and I love it!

[@JC2023HD]

Yes! They absolutely should review the whole movie!

[@sfdntk]

@@MattMattGuCan you tell us what those jokes were and why they were funny? Sounds interesting.

[@michaelhill4583]

You guys should review the conducting in the series Mozart in the Jungle.

[@ItIsJustJudy]

The orchestra is the Dresden Philharmonic.

[@oxoelfoxo]

but the concertmaster is an actor, i hope?

[@Jejaimes20]

@@oxoelfoxo It makes sense that the concert master would be an actress. I think in the US at least you have to be part of an actors' guild or something to actually have dialogue in a movie, and the "concert master" had a speaking part. There might be simliar rules in other countries.

[@jesus-of-cheeses]

@@Jejaimes20 The concertmaster is an actress because she’s Tar’s partner and has a very big role in the movie outside the orchestra scenes. So she needs to carry an emotional arc of a very important character, unlike all the other musicians whose characters are more incidental and static

[@keyem4504]

Was Cate actually speaking German here or was that a dubbing with an accent on purpose? If she was doing it herself it was quite good.

[@Joie-du-sang]

​@@keyem4504I think she's pretty committed to her roles. I'm sure if she didn't already speak German she learned how to speak enough for the part.

[@yujuti8416]

It seems to me that when they prepare for their conducting scenes, Bradly Copper just watched a bunch of Bernstein's conducting videos and copied his movements and facial expressions, and Cate Blanchett actually took conducting lessons with a pro.

[@bnabound]

For one, Bradley Cooper took many lessons with a pro conductor (from what I understand for years) but more importantly, Cate Blanchett didn't have to copy an existing, iconic composer such as Bernstein so she was free to create everything about her conductor persona as she pleased. People seem to forget that when comparing the two movies.

[@user-mz4on5zc4g]

Who did she study with? Obviously it was a better teacher than Cooper's.

[@inesquick2991]

Cooper studied with Yannick Nezet-Seguin (famous Canadian conducter) and I honestly think he did a good job ! As said before, he had to copy Bernstein so his role was a bit different than Blanchett's. And he might have just learnt how to copy and not how to properly conduct

[@AndreGasparConductor]

Both had a coach. Both have flaws and both have good moments. Overall, both movies have taken the interest of focusing on personal lives of these characters either fictional or not, for entertainment purposes.

[@leaflaurel]

Also possible that in Maestro, they cut footage of him directing another part of the piece and just overlaid the audio. Could have just been editing decisions.

[@princessjellyfish98]

Learning that Mahler specifically calls for off-stage trumpet in other pieces but not this one actually makes total sense for her character. Lydia Tár absolutely has the hubris necessary to change the piece like that 😂

[@dwfaught]

Well, she changed her name. Wasn't really Lydia at all. LOL.

[@Jaegertiger]

.... has the hubris "necessary" ???? Sorry. But her hubris is completely UNNECESSARY because she lacks actual talent. Just because she can say "good, good" in a German accent doesn't mean she is skilled.

[@tekraynak]

Yes, in one of her conversations with Andris (the prior Berlin conductor) they specifically discuss how to form a 'legacy' and make their recording of classic pieces 'their own'. They reference Bernstein slowing down the Adagietto movement of the 5th for JFK's funeral. So along these lines, when you are super arrogant like Lydia, you may resort to doing something ridiculous like the offstage trumpet.

[@dwfaught]

@@tekraynak I was just watching a video about Gould and how he slowed the tempo for Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 (and also played p when f indicated, and vice versa). Some people thought he destroyed the piece (even Bernstein stated that he was not responsible for the interpretation before the performance) and some people thought him brilliant. I think new interpretations are interesting as long as they reveal something in the music that we didn't see/hear before. When they are done to just be different, then it's pure ego. In this case it seems to be Lydia's ego since that's all she had at this point in her journey. Whatever greatness she had once had was based on her musical genius and now it's just tricks and hot air (don't get me started on her "lecture").

[@tekraynak]

@@dwfaught Agree! I also personally like to think the off-stage trumpet may be linked to the ghost story (Krista's suicide and haunting of Lydia) behind the film ... off-stage melodies that influence the living world of the orchestra... :)

[@of-ld4se]

The "baseball batting" baton stuff in 4:43 was taken from Bernstein. And it's not Cate Blanchett who copies Bernstein, it's Lydia Tár, who really worships Bernstein (as you will find later on in the movie). So much so that she even quotes an entire line from Bernstein's well-known Shostakovich 5 rehearsal (i.e. "no, you must watch etc.") during her rehearsal. I'm sure many classical music fans picked this up when they watched the movie.

[@rics1883]

Interesting. Lydia Tar is a complete facade, and this detail adds a layer to Blanchett's complex character. Good observation.

[@KarlaGarcia-of7rh]

Very interesting! thanks for sharing!

[@MrOtistetrax]

Totally on point observation. All of their criticisms can be directed at the character rather than the actor. The fact that Blanchett is able to convey that Tar herself is flawed as a conductor is phenomenal. This movie really is one of the greatest pieces of acting I’ve ever witnessed.

[@laimaravillon895]

@@MrOtistetraxin what sense is she flawed?

[@subsonicdeathmonkey]

Reasons! Thank you 🙏

[@iwatchtoomuchtwoset]

I thought Galadriel was badass before, but now she's even more badass.

[@lindildeev5721]

She was badass even before that, when she told the Spanish ambassador that she too controlled the wind.

[@VongolaChouko]

@@lindildeev5721 OM I love that scene!

[@wanwan2180]

honestly as someone from Germany I can say that her German in the movie was also really good, she obviously puts a lot of effort into her roles

[@Yu-Fei-Hung]

Philharmonic Orchestra of Lothlórien

[@CharlieHuang]

She's a badass in things that were, things that are, and things that have not yet come to pass.

[@micahsnow346]

Honestly y’all should watch the entire movie. There are a lot of really interesting topics covered about things like cancel culture in classical music, gender dynamics in the classical world, and most importantly, the inherent power dynamics within an orchestra. It’s a really thrilling watch and clearly very well researched. It’s not just Blanchett’s conducting that’s believable, her dialogue with others and the environments surrounding her are all steeped in music history. Loved it and thought it was not given enough attention when it came out

[@maryvallettakeith6146]

I absolutely agree with everything you wrote.

[@timsenesi6161]

COMPLETELY agree, it’s a stunning film!

[@tekraynak]

100% agree, fantastic film that gets a lot of the insider politics of classical music pretty accurately.

[@ambroisekirin5236]

Honestly, I thought it was the most pretentious misrepresentation of classical music I've ever seen.

[@abassyomi.o]

Talking about music history, there's an alarm on her phone, and the way she woke up to that alarm felt like a metaphor for the film as a whole! Only someone who truly understands music could pull off the subtlety of that scene!

[@taeste1041]

“whenever you don’t know what you’re meant to be doing but you wanna look professional you just start marking things” DIDNT ASK TO BE CALLED OUT ON A THURSDAY AFTERNOON

[@lefthandedclogger]

700th comment on a Tuesday afternoon 😂

[@Tmanaz480]

You're not supposed to talk about these things!

[@1ro868]

Theres no reason to attack me

[@aurweon]

The first rule about fight club - I mean orchestral playing…

[@PatriciaHoferMsPattiMarc]

The same applies for chorale singers. Take notes even though you’re confused about something. 🤣

[@sepiae]

You guys really *should* watch this movie, it's really great. It also features a brilliant little moment when Mrs. Blanchett as Tar dresses down/tries to educate a student, and in the process demonstrates a few ways to play Bach on the piano (which the actress plays herself), and getting Glenn Gould's way and manner absolutely right. Blanchett has a keen interest in classical music, by the way, especially classical music of the 20th century. In all fairness to Nina Hoss, who plays her partner the concert master, getting the violin right as an actor who isn't a violinist must be quite a challenge.

[@Jaegertiger]

LOUSY....

[@12345678abracadabra]

​@@Jaegertigersays the loser virgin

[@humblesparrow]

The cellist was a real musician too, from what I heard.

[@ven1s0n]

​@humblesparrow Yeah, this movie was her debut acting role and she was just a cellist before Tár.

[@moldypizza]

Hands down best movie of 2022

[@wishingonthemoon1]

Friend of a friend played in the orchestra and cheekily remarked, “she conducts better than some of the ‘real’ conductors we work with…”

[@MissCaraMint]

Wow. Yeah that is praise. Hell I conduct a choir myself, and she is definitly better than I am, so I can believe it.

[@Raylock9]

As a German it‘s almost more interesting to hear the accent when Cate Blanchett speaks German. But I think she speaks it very good.

[@wingedyera]

I'm not German but I speak it a little bit and I was thinking the same thing

[@rics1883]

Yes, there is definitely an accent to her German but her character Lydia Tar lived in Germany for 5-6 years so it was Blanchett's idea to add German. Adds a layer of authenticity

[@colettepot7350]

Lol, much better than Oppenheimer’s Dutch…

[@highelectricaltemperature]

The character isn’t a native German speaker. If I remember the movie correctly, I think it’s eventually revealed that she grew up in Upstate New York.

[@nelsonang]

i saw an interview with Cate Blanchett for this movie and she mentioned how overwhelming it was when the orchestra comes in at the command of the baton...

[@lefthandedclogger]

It’s like suddenly gaining magical powers. Those batons are magic when the orchestra is following!

[@LikesLimes]

When I played in youth orchestra I always felt the conductor was like a magician who could make a tremendous sound out of thin air. Orchestral performance to this day gives me that feeling.

[@quillclock]

Take me down to the stiff City Where the brass is clean and the strings are gritty Oh, won't you please take it slow

[@elinamakela8435]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@antine1279]

I'd say Eddy would probably get this, and Brett probably wouldn't xD

[@aurweon]

If you play slow, you can play it quickly

[@elnavandermerwe5098]

I read this explanation online for the cross the orchestra member drew: "Dmitri Mitropoulos, the giant Greek who was Leonard Bernstein’s predecessor at the New York Philharmonic, expired during a 1960 La Scala rehearsal of the stately opening movement of Mahler’s Third Symphony. We know exactly where he died because the second bassoonist drew a cross in his score at the 86th bar, noting: “In questa misura e morto il Maestro Mitropoulos."

[@AdamVill]

It was pretty clear from context that the mark was a pre-planned "we got *this* far before Tar made a scene" sort of thing, but it's cool to hear that there's a similar, actual historical precedent as well!

[@elnavandermerwe5098]

@@AdamVill Maybe Todd Field meant this to denote the death of Lydia Tar as a respected conductor.

[@colinsmithers6961]

"è morto".

[@LadyPelikan]

Cool anecdote!

[@WdymWork]

Wow didn’t know that. This is an interesting explanation. Thank you!

[@Chamtechie]

Yeeah, i remember kinda cringing at the concertmaster's violin playing when I saw the movie. The reason is that she's Lydia Tar's partner, so an actor with a lot of serious dramatic scenes in the film but relatively few where she's actually shown playing the violin. As for the sacrilegious offstage trumpet, it makes more sense in the context of the film.

[@trinitysxxi]

I'd say even the concertmaster's mistakes are on purpose, since it gives credit to the idea that Tar gave her that spot just because she was her favorite, not because of her talent, and the fact that she's not that good also plays a role in Tar's infatuation with the new girl.

[@clubedanarrativa5603]

The down angle shot is usually meant to portray a character as being superior, we associate the down shot with greatness, hence why they captured the conductor in that angle

[@MohammadYaseen01]

Exactly, and it fits the narrative with her starting on top at the beginning of the movie until her eventual downfall by the end.

[@merylgonsalves7471]

But it's really too low. Could have used 1 at thigh level instead

[@shahs1221]

​@@merylgonsalves7471it's stylistic choice. Distortion or more extreme angles give a sense of offness... Which is VERY much this movie. It fits.

[@AngeloBarovierSD]

I contend it’s the sum of both the audience expectations (of a conductor) and the character’s own self-image (as superior to all others).

[@aftarsun]

I love that you guys could tell they were legit just from looking at the brass players. Yes, aside from the actors for the main characters, that's the legit Dresden Orchestra! On your comment about the off stage trumpet - yeah the fact that it's pretty insulting is part of the character study going on lol you guys should check out the full movie. Loved hearing your thoughts on this!

[@moonpiter]

twoset should definitely react to the Tar scene where she gives a lecture at juilliard too!

[@clutchmatic]

That subject is too heavy for this channel, unfortunately

[@rics1883]

That Lecture scene is incredibly dense, all due respect but I don't think these guys can unearth the complexities in that particular scene but Blanchett playing Bach with playful precision with so much dialogue and all in one take, it's pretty extraordinary. Shows the Blanchett's command as an actor

[@ntent1]

@@rics1883yea, as much as I love twoset, they’re too comedic in order to fully unpack that scene for their audience.

[@bluedotantics20165]

It's not an especially convincing representation of a conservatory masterclass, and there's not a lot there to react to musically. That scene is more about establishing characterizarion

[@Hochspitz]

Cate is just bloody fantastic! This was an extremely hard role to play.

[@028fn48dne]

The difference here is pretty explainable: Bradley Cooper is a good actor. Cate Blanchett is among the greatest actors of her generation.

[@bryanmontemayor6640]

Exactly.

[@rogermiller5411]

bump

[@sabrinai]

Twoset heard our prayers!!! Thank you for reacting to this! Wondering if it's gonna be as sacrilegious as the Chevalier one.

[@M_SC]

It wasn’t. Chavalier was a movie by people who didn’t like classical music or history for people who don’t like classical music or history. Or maybe for children. Tar is a slow burn psychological illumination of a certain kind of personality. It’s intellectual, it’s emotionally like an infection. It’s completely inaccessible to kids. it’s not really about music, it’s about personality and psychology, and to an extent about talent and power. But the music parts are well done. They have real musicians. Cate does a god job.

[@tekraynak]

@@M_SC Agree. Tar is foremost a depiction of narcissism and abuse in the context of a predefined political power structure, which here happens to be the classical music world.

[@skygaz3r]

Having watched Tar, I was so impressed at the different layers of the movie and of Cate Blanchett’s acting! Highly recommend!

[@garysimkins2179]

I work in Film, and I have had the pleasure of working on a production where Kate Blanchet was starring as well as being an executive producer. I can tell you that her presence on set and even approaching set is one that will take your breathe away. She is a tour de force , and her strength and commitment to the role is incredible. I believe that she would have had conversations with the director as well as the coaches about how her particular character is in this setting. I highly recommend seeing the film.

[@AdmiralJaneway74656]

Her German is actually quite good. And yeah, the first scene three me rigjt back into the orchestra 😂

[@lefthandedclogger]

I was thinking that too! I studied German for a long time, she wouldn’t pass for a native speaker but it’s quite good and honestly that’s so hard to pull off for a movie

[@rics1883]

@@lefthandedclogger True but she's not supposed to be a native speaker anyway as her character lives in Berlin for 5-6 yrs. And it was Blanchett's idea to have her character speak German, which adds a layer of authenticity to character. That Blanchett knocked it out of the part

[@rutmarybucarito5621]

I'm pretty sure the shoulder movement was to adjust the bra strap 😂😂😂

[@GrandZimty]

Now we need a reaction to the entire movie of Tar!!!

[@annika5893]

Cate Blanchett is very much like Meryl Streep, meaning both are simply excellent in their chosen art form. I don't know what this movie is about exactly, I haven't seen it. But the ending scene kind of looked like this could be some kind of a Black Swan for orchestra conductors situation.

[@wanf872]

black swan is not a bad comparison but they are very different beyond the psychological thriller aspect. tar is really great. highly recommend you check it out. one of cate blanchett's best.

[@rics1883]

Both films show psychological downfall of an artist, but Tar is much more subtle feels real and stays with you for long compared to Balck Swan. Cate Blanchett gave her best performance, which is crazy thing to say considering diverse roles she played throughout her career.

[@Siljamaarit]

Whenever I watch Meryl Streep act, I think ”Meryl Streep is a great actress” but when I see Kate Blanchett in any role, I forget she is acting. She becomes the person in the role; whether it is LOTR, Tár, Carol, Blue Jasmine, you name it.

[@Bongi344]

​@@Siljamaaritactually I feel the same... and there's one more actress makes me feel the same way: Amy Adams. Just super believable.

[@ellooku]

Cate is one actor that does things professionally. She truly becomes what ever character you gave her. My three favorite till this day is, Lord of the rings, Elizabeth and Thor Ragnarock. She nailed those cast.

[@tchaiksimp]

You should totally react to the Julliard scene from this movie too!!! 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁

[@oxoelfoxo]

is there a clip on YT?

[@benmckay4004]

I felt like I was in a real musicology lecture

[@moonpiter]

omg yes!! that scene was awesome, they would have a field day reacting to it

[@pianogirl9458]

Yesssss!!

[@heartheart5543]

And it was done in 1 take

[@TheNextDoorNeighboor]

We need Stiff City merch, who agrees?

[@androidkenobi]

Escape from Stiff City... Go Practice!

[@austinluther5825]

Cate Blanchett was also in this movie called Paradise Road where women in a concentration camp form a vocal orchestra. I think Glenn Close plays the woman who conducts and Cate Blanchett is one of the women in the orchestra. Great movie that greatly respects classical music. You guys should check it out.

[@saynotzai]

Unrelated to the video but I nocice the subcribers are at 4,31M , they shpould record themselves doing 4′33″ and post it when they reach that number.

[@Vivi-Mage]

Yes!!

[@deschua]

You guys NEED to review the Korean drama Maestra, please! (Somehow Cate Blanchett gives me the same vibes as the conductor in Maestra.)

[@sepiae]

Every word in 'Korean drama Maestra' just tickles my interest. Hadn't heard about that one, thanks for the tip. 🙂

[@deschua]

@@sepiae it’s on Disney+ if you wanna catch it! 😀

[@loui9710]

I believe that’s because the inception of the K-drama, Maestra, is based on the plot of Tár.

[@clairefroissart2784]

​@@loui9710 I believe that k-drama Maestra isn't completely based on Tár . I read they bought the copyright from en French TV called Philarmonia (2019) .

[@simplytwosetter]

Eddy, if you don't know what concerto to play for 5M, how about conducting one😂 I just love all the details he went into about conducting, I learned a lot from him!! (Brett can be the principal viola lol jk jk, concertmaster of course!

[@fannymozzarella]

I'm suggesting he do Paganini for 5M! I am so desperate for it! LOL

[@chia_s_ee_d]

@@fannymozzarellaI agree!!! Or Brahms, do u reckon pag 1 or 2? I like 1 more

[@andrewzhang8512]

@@chia_s_ee_d pag 0!

[@iwatchtoomuchtwoset]

Ohh cool idea! I'm hoping he plays Barber or Korngold tho

[@hashdankhog8578]

@@iwatchtoomuchtwosetkorngold is gorgeous. I was kinda hoping they would do a viola concerto just for the memes

[@akashr7069]

Hey twosetviolin I am your big fan , i watch all your videos and after seeing yours violin performance I got motivated to learn violin and today was my first violin classs ❤❤ I am so happy 😊

[@chickenosaurus_rex]

Twoset: WE NEED MORE CONTENT!! Movies: At your service 😉 PS BRING BACK VIOLIN CHARADES!!

[@Camille-Saint-Saens]

YESSS

[@Grimsg]

Cate was an absolute legend in this film, sure she's not a true conductor, but she convinced the majority of people who watched it. Naturally actual orchestra people like you guys would know the small things that don't work, but still, she did an amazing job. I genuinely thought she was going to get an Oscar for this film. Do watch the film, its quite an experience. Ok Nina Hoss (1st violin) is quite a legendary actor in Germany, she did learn violin for this and walp, didn't get the pass from you guys, but it fooled us non-violin people. Interestingly, I did watch a performance of Mahler 5 in March last year when the Singapore Symphony Orchestra recently did it with conductor maestro Lawrence Renes. And could hear the differences between the 'Tar' version and the original 'how it was meant to sound like', yeah the 'Tar' version is overblown on purpose to just go crazy with the power and oomph of the orchestra, and the original opening movement was actually more solemn because it is a funeral march. It was quite an experience witnessing it being played live especially after watching the Tar film.

[@phoebes5008]

Nina Hoss is amazing!

[@rics1883]

It's crazy how this masterpiece got snubbed especially her performance, despite not winning it will stand test of time

[@tekraynak]

@@rics1883 Cate was truly robbed. Best acting performance of 2020's so far in my opinion. The EEAAO cultists bullied the Academy into voting for their farce film, with threats of 'racism' lobbed at anyone who didn't vote for Yeoh.

[@stevenho660]

The off stage trumpet is part of the plot. Lydia Tár talks about it and gives her reasons. I wonder if there is like a piano channel who does this, it would be interesting to hear comments on God of the Piano. The Beat that my Heart Skipped. The Piano Teacher. So many.

[@tomforsythe7024]

All shall love her and despair!

[@ruanpingshan]

The "interesting camera angle" was also on the poster for the movie when it came out.

[@AwesomeOwl5]

Recommend watching Tar! some people vary with the plot but it has interesting things to say about “creative genius”, current culture in music schools re: how people evaluate “problematic” art (it’s accurate I think because music students do push back against western canon I know them personally lol) and of course, harassment and politics in the classical orchestra world. And it’s got actual musicians!

[@SANDRILLA1979]

Cate Blanchett es la mejor actriz del mundo

[@apersonuser]

'so you look like you care about the rhythm' 🤣 STOP CALLING US OUTTT

[@nutritionalyeast704]

One of the main actors in that movie is actually a professional cellist!

[@lounakin]

Tar used a real orchestra except for the first violin who is an actress. Kate spent a lot of time learning and practicing, which is why it was so good. I really enjoyed the film, you should definitely watch it!

[@MissCaraMint]

You can tell she knew the piece she was conducting damn well. The preparation required for these scenes would be enormous.

[@chaotic_violist]

The writing random stuff in your music is so relatable lol, my stand partner and I always write down weird quotes from our conductor, and sometimes add drawings too…we’re very serious

[@hydrogen3266]

My band director at college was always saying the silliest stuff. I’d always write quotes from him in my music. Under a long rest where there was a bassoon solo, I’d written “bassoony goodness” because that’s he’d refer to it. There were other miscellaneous things he’d say that would always make us laugh. He always had great energy

[@chaotic_violist]

Haha that’s an awesome quote One of my favorite quotes from our conductor is “what the pluck” lol - it was during a piece that was entirely pizzicato, and always made us laugh after we wrote it into our music in huge letters

[@MaileenStaMaria-ln9ed]

Well, it's Cate Blanchett!! She's a great actor!

[@jolandafeline620]

This video is kind of emotional for me to watch, since TwoSet are the reason I went to my first classical concert during the pandemic. Since then, I had the pleasure of listening to the Dresden Philharmonic in the concert hall Kulturpalast Dresden many times - which are the orchestra and location of the movie they are talking about in this video. So I kind of got to watch a TwoSet video featuring my go to orchestra and concert hall - thank you guys!

[@marinhomedrado2239]

Hello guys, don't know if you'll read this, but I've always loved classical music, and thanks to you two I just started violin lessons last month and I couldn't be more excited about it. I feel it will take a lot of effort but it has been really joyful to se improvements little by little. Wish you all the best and thank you!

[@jonahlevy674]

How have you never heard of Tár?? Monumental film in the world of orchestral music. And it’s Mahler’s 3rd Symphony with the big offstage trumpet solo (although Mahler 2 does have 4 offstage trumpets and 4 offstage horns in the final movement).

[@DameMitHermelin]

There's a bit of violin and cello playing in Peter Weir's "Master and Commander" that I simply cannot wait for you to comment on. Russel Crowe said that learning to play the violin was the most difficult thing he ever had to do for any movie. They were overdubbed by actual musicians in the post but they did play pieces like Boccherini etc.

[@dalajuliette]

I’d never been able to scroll through all the twoset comments before…this is nice just the 85 of us

[@londongael414]

174 for me, but yeah, feels intimate 😊

[@melodri7307]

lets go cate blanchett!!!

[@Pachi27]

Tar was such a good movie! Highly recommend!

[@Sarmen.Michaels]

Cate Blanchett 🙌👏

[@StoneBubbles]

the greatest actress of our time

[@Jessica_Jones]

I love that you pointed out just how hard it is to conduct! When I used to sing in a chorus, I remember during one of our rehearsals the director broke us up into groups and said she wanted a person from each group who had never directed (which was most of us) to give it a try. I was so scared I was going to be pressured into getting up in front of everyone! That exercise alone was enough for me to really note how much nuance and skill is required, but then around that time I also had to follow someone who was less seasoned and the contrast sort of blew my mind to realize just how much we depend on that person in front to be waving their arms with intentionality and expertise!

[@eriks2962]

In the movie when she beats up the conductor, she had been fired from her director of the orchestra job by the board for sexually harassing a player that had lead to her suicide. The concertmaster is actually her wife.

[@MissTwoSetEncyclopedia]

Wait, I'm confused. Was the male conductor fired or was it the character played by Cate Blanchett? Who harassed who and what does her wife have to do with that? So mamy questions...

[@nonid5627]

@@MissTwoSetEncyclopediawatch the film lol

[@M_SC]

Why would you ruin the movie you 🐪

[@noahmellemstrand4756]

@@MissTwoSetEncyclopediabottom line it’s a fantastic movie to watch! Worth checking out before spoiling the rest of the movie via internet

[@MissTwoSetEncyclopedia]

@@noahmellemstrand4756 No offense but your original comment is itself a big spoiler...

[@demoige7948]

6:19 She's not calling them out. She said " (we'll start at bar) 27 directly". ("27 direkt")

[@disthymia6929]

We need more reactions to other scenes in Tar. Great movie.

[@lukas4112]

My queen Tár

[@sophelet]

Great analysis. In fact, I have sung Mahler 2 in two different years with Bernstein and NY Philharmonic, and recognized many of the connections in "Lydia Tár"'s hero worship and infatuations. All of the contemporary composers named in the movie are in fact real, active, published and performed composers. The man who stole Tár's score is modelled on Gilbert Kaplan, I think; Kaplan was obsessed with Mahler 2, had a great deal of money, bought the original manuscript, learned very impressively how to conduct it, and recorded the symphony. Luckily he was also a generous man and did a lot as a patron, as far as I remember. Blanchett's imitation of Glenn Gould is spot on. Another note: current superstar conductor Marin Alsop was a protegé of Leonard Bernstein. The scenes on video of Bernstein teaching are from his instructing excellent up-and-coming conductors at Tanglewood, where Alsop studied with him. And like the character "Lydia Tár," Maestra Alsop is lesbian. Alsop detested the film because of what it implied about female conductors, lesbian couples, controlling same-sex parents, internalized rage, and more. I had hoped Blanchett would win a top Oscar for her role. She was amazing.

[@Camille-Saint-Saens]

WE NEED MORE VIOLIN CHARADES!!!!!!

[@hoangkimviet8545]

I hope you will review Tom Hulce, the actor who played Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the film “Amadeus”.

[@Griwhoolda]

Which means they will....?

[@hoangkimviet8545]

@@Griwhoolda I am sorry if my words confuse you. I do not intend to order them. It is just my recommendation as a viewer of TwoSetViolin.

[@audioliquor]

His conducting was not very good. Symmetrical movements most of the time. The keyboard playing was okay though. Wonderful movie however. Watched it many, many times

[@paulwagner688]

The keyboard parts were very well done. The harpsichord/piano was electric so all the keys were pushed. Hulce just had to put his fingers where the keys were pushed. A lot of work, but he made it look effortless.

[@paulwagner688]

@@audioliquor There really wasn't a lot of conducting as we know it back then. It wa Berlioz who first wrote the first real book on conducting. Mussorgsky either had a copy of this or Rimsky-Korsakov's book in his hand when he died.

[@victoria5974]

8:02 😂 that little "noo" made my day

[@GFH-rp8or]

The Mahler 5 trumpet opening is definitely on stage. Because he wrote it that way, and also If you're off stage how do you match the rest of the brass section's volume after the solo? Also, just to nitpick, the horns don't need a giant cue on that upbeat entrance. Just give us a little eye contact and we're good.

[@phoebes5008]

The trumpet opening is part of the plot, Tar literally explains her choice in the movie 🙄

[@GFH-rp8or]

@@phoebes5008 Admittedly, I didn't see the movie. No professional conductor in the world is going to have the trumpet start the 5th off-stage, but it get it, it's Hollywood.

[@tekraynak]

@@GFH-rp8or Her decision to move the trumpet off-stage is about her narcissism and quest for classical music immortality. In her conversation with Andris (the prior Berlin music director and her mentor) they discuss how the great conductors form their legacies and make major staples of the repertoire 'their own'. They reference Bernstein slowing down the Mahler 5 Adagietto movement for JFK's funeral, which worked for the occasion. So in that context it makes sense for Tar to try to do something that is may be interpretatively problematic to stamp her name in the piece for all history. I also personally like to think the off-stage trumpet hints at the ghost story behind the film... off-stage but nonetheless influencing the world of the orchestra :)

[@thecrimsonking187]

Her German pronounciation is really good.

[@thomasmiller1650]

I'd like for you to examine Diane Kruger and Ed Harris in "Copying Beethoven."

[@herbolos4714]

You should check out the 1980 movie "The Competition" with Richard Dreyfuss and Amy Irving.

[@ariradousky4205]

They could do that and Mr. Holland’s Opus as a Richard Dreyfus double feature.

[@5starsmichellin550]

I'm so happy when they upload new videos frequently.❤

[@KDaddict26]

You should watch the Concerto de Aranjuez in Brassed Off

[@lolz101.0]

daily practice reminder! ⚠️⚠️

[@AquaVantae]

Missed yall!!

[@heyheytaytay]

Even without a music background, Kate absolutely encompasses Lydia Tar. It's a masterful performance. It's definitely one of those movies you notice something new every time you watch it. It's truly fascinating to watch an intelligent and talented character slowly unwind and cause her undoing.

[@jamesuhrig25]

Very few conductors use such wild gestures to get their intentions across, though some, like Bernstein, and even Mahler himself, were famous for it. I can only let Blanchett and the director off the hook by assuming they were trying to convey the character's inner state of mind as she conducts. But perhaps I'm just being kind.

[@eall1652]

Tar's character worships Bernstein and it is a major plot point. When her mannerisms echo him, that's showing this in a subtle way.

[@fong03]

Cate gave the best performance of the year in my opinion, male or female. Tar was also my favorite film of the year. You guys should watch it!

[@rics1883]

I'd go as far as, she gave the best performance (Male or female) since Daniel Day Lewis's masterful TWBB.

[@tekraynak]

@@rics1883 This is exactly my opinion too!

[@fong03]

@@rics1883 I don't think I can disagree with that!

[@BONGIOCJ]

Love u guys!

[@ZiaElohka]

I really like this video for several reasons First: you do read the comments and take suggestions. But most of all: your ‘roasting’ is honest. You give credit where credit is due and your critique is not just for the sake of making fun. This honesty makes your channel a wholesome oasis on KZbin.

[@majotroobs719]

Nah, I'd say their critique is uninformed. If you don't watch the movie, at least have a basic idea of what's going on. For example, know that the concert master is also the conductor's partner.

[@ZiaElohka]

@@majotroobs719 The only thing that matters for this channel is that the actress can not play the violin.

[@wowanothercookie]

But they aren't doing a movie critique, it's about how realistic the conducting seems to them. Sure, they might have missed a story cue or two but is that really such a big deal? Nobody is on this channel for a discussion of the plot of Tar anyways 😅 ​@@majotroobs719

[@majotroobs719]

@@ZiaElohka That's sad, given that they claim to have higher standards...

[@ZiaElohka]

@@majotroobs719 They do have higher standards, when it comes to music. They call themselves the internet *violin* detectives and not movie reviewers. I don't understand your problem.

[@HelenA-ow3pw]

TwoSet: Insightful critique of movie TwoSetters: WHEN ARE WE GETTING A NEW VIOLIN CHARADES???!!!

[@blauespony1013]

Listening to Twoset, I have the feeling that our real life conductor is not doing a very good job :-D But as we are usually on time (if we listen to him), I think it works. Btw. Cate Blanchett's German accent was really good.

[@DisasterAuntie]

3 minutes in, I was struck by Blanchett's expressiveness with her hands, which is something I see in good conductors, but something else made me wonder, "Does Cate Blanchett know any form of sign language?" I searched (pretty perfunctorily), and couldn't find a yes or no on that, but I did notice that she had said Lydia Tàr is a child of deaf parents and therefore does use sign language. Blanchett made me see that aspect of the character, when Blanchett herself is neither a conductor nor a sign language speaker. Mind blown.

[@DorothyOzmaLover]

Cate's a treasure so getting your notes on her performance is nice!

[@iralia333]

Podium is so daunting. Prepare prepare prepare❤

[@daviydviljoen9318]

Um... You should check when she plays Bach on the piano. She switches between "A First Year Student" and "Glen Gould" like it's no effort. And it's really her playing...

[@rebeccablashock3829]

Thank you! Appreciate your content! I was waiting for this one... 😊

[@danjackson1016]

It's probably the calibre of actor that made the difference.

[@hazelbasil4989]

It's kinda funny because I just came from watching Bradly Cooper video. As somebody who's never played in orchestra, it's always interesting to see your thoughts on films like this where they try to portray what it's like.

[@simplytwosetter]

From an audience (who likes classical music but know nothing about conducting) point of view, the conductor is mainly counting the beats and conveying emotions. I'm not aware of so many details and informations in their movements until Eddy pointed them out!! I'd love to hear Prof Yang and Chen do a Conducting 101 and tell us bit by bit what the conductor is doing for a certain Symphony performance!!

[@Idiomatick]

What you see during performance is only a small part of the job. The conductor's job is really during rehearsal where they build an interpretation and get everyone working together, find what parts aren't working and fix them. It requires a deep understanding of the music. Buuuuuut you also can have conducting where it is just a fun thing and they really are mostly just keeping the beat. Guest conductors and such might do this. Or if they're playing some warmup or w/e (not a professional performance).

[@oxoelfoxo]

check out videos by How I Met the Opera. she's a conductor

[@edwardblair4096]

​@@Idiomatick Not only does it require a good knowledge of the music, but it also needs a good understanding of the technical details and capabilities of the musical instruments, and an understanding of the musicians you have infrastructure of you. So first you understand the music and how you want it to sound, then you need to understand what the instruments need to do to get the sound/feeling you want, then you need to communicate all that with the musicians. It definitely helps when you understand whether what you are asking is easy or hard. You also need to be flexible enough to figure out how to get as close as possible to your goal even if you need to find an alternative means. For instance, maybe you want a section played intensly, but also quietly, but at that pitch range, the instruments have a hard time doing it. So as a compromise, you ask for only 1 musician per stand to play those notes. With fewer people playing, they could play with the required intensity at the required volume, as perceived by the audience.

[@jaegertiger384]

You are OBVIOUSLY ignorant of Lenny Bernstein. Watch him conduct the Final Movement of Mahler 2....the Resurrection Symphony.

[@swankeepers]

@@Idiomatick Or if they're playing what they would consider an orchestra's "gig piece". I'm sure the Boston Pops don't need any help playing "Sleigh Ride" at Christmas - conductor becomes a two-legged metronome. Or playing Sousa around 4th of July in US. Which is why (I think) when orchestras invite guest (or "celebrity") conductors it's usually a piece they know inside out. (Orchestra day off, busking with a cardboard sign of "anyone can conduct us", and they're doing the Overture to William Tell).

[@fanix08]

YESSS i was waiting for this, Cate is such a dedicated actress, I watched this movie a while ago and really enjoyed her performance. You should def check the movie

[@joetred]

As a member of a youth orchestra being used as prop for a film with a actor conductor, I saw a bit of this. The real conductor coached the actor on every shot. They had to do retakes to get certain things right (some faults were on us players too). The less than 2 minute film segment took an entire day to shoot.

[@SocialSudies]

Can confirm singers in choir also just mark their music when they don’t know what they’re supposed to be doing 😂😂

[@liamingersoll6423]

You guys should conduct a concerto for 5 mil

[@user-hz6sf2if4h]

I think we would actually look forward to hear brett and eddy perform on the violin instead of conducting for 5 mil

[@liamingersoll6423]

@@user-hz6sf2if4h I was thinking one of them would perform the concerto and the other would conduct

[@brasschick4214]

@@liamingersoll6423 50% each and an audience vote at the end 😂

[@liamingersoll6423]

@@brasschick4214 They should switch off in between movements

[@persgodiva]

I'm just flashed at how amazing her German is

[@George_vv]

All I know about Tár is that it was Adum (YMS)'s favorite movie of the year when it came out or something.