Reviews
David Patrick Stearns, Philadelphia Inquirer
“In the new documentary film Samuel Barber: Absolute Beauty, one realizes how and why Barber’s music has gradually insinuated itself into the very core of the classical music world with a durability that now seems unmatched by any of his contemporaries. With great visual polish, documentarian H. Paul Moon brings together an extremely impressive array of documents, archival footage, interviews with Barber experts, and taped oral histories. And with particular sensitivity and intelligence, Moon explores the nature of the Barber-Menotti relationship. His ability to present so much visual evidence is astounding.”
Christian Morris, Composition:Today
“A remarkable success that rewrites the rules of documentary filmmaking, the kind of project that used only to be made by documentary departments of major television studios. If you are at all unfamiliar with this essential twentieth century composer, this marvelous documentary is the ideal place to begin.”
Anders Hillborg, composer
“A great achievement by a filmmaker who possesses a deep knowledge of music, and is able to share it beautifully. I sincerely hope that this work leads to more occasions to create music documentaries of this rare quality.”
Ian Venables, composer
“A remarkable and compelling documentary that paints a revealing portrait of one of the 20th century’s greatest composers. Insightful and absorbing at every stage, H. Paul Moon leaves no stone unturned in his quest to bring to us, a greater understanding of this man of genius: one whose life began so charmed, but ended as sad and mournful as the Adagio that brought him such enviable success. Interspersed with a wealth of biographical material, contemporary and archival interviews and footage of Samuel Barber himself, this landmark film is the first to explore not only Barber the composer but also, and perhaps more importantly, Barber the man.”
