Pride And Prejudice - Jean-Yves Thibaudet & The English Chamber Orchestra

The moment those first notes cascaded from the still-dark screen to strike gently at my ears, thence to my brain and swiftly to my musical soul, I knew I was done for. Resistance was useless. In an instant, I was fully convinced that everything that was to follow that foggy scene of early morn would be special. So I succumbed willingly to the irresistible lure of the film. I was to come away with a lovely cinematic experience - and what a gorgeous, ...
.../> Alternately touching, exuberant, melancholic or joyful, the music to 'Pride & Prejudice' served to heighten the film's many moods - romantic, suspenseful and otherwise, in the process vastly surpassing my expectations. As stated in the CD notes, the Italian-born composer Dario Marianelli drew on the early piano sonatas of Ludwig van Beethoven (German composer 1770-1827) for his musical ideas. His channelling of the Big Guy results in an easily ... more

The moment those first notes cascaded from the still-dark screen to strike gently at my ears, thence to my brain and swiftly to my musical soul, I knew I was done for. Resistance was useless. In an instant, I was fully convinced that everything that was to follow that foggy scene of early morn would be special. So I succumbed willingly to the irresistible lure of the film. I was to come away with a lovely cinematic experience - and what a gorgeous, glorious and smashingly good trip it would be.

Alternately touching, exuberant, melancholic or joyful, the music to 'Pride & Prejudice' served to heighten the film's many moods - romantic, suspenseful and otherwise, in the process vastly surpassing my expectations. As stated in the CD notes, the Italian-born composer Dario Marianelli drew on the early piano sonatas of Ludwig van Beethoven (German composer 1770-1827) for his musical ideas. His channelling of the Big Guy results in an easily accessible and elegant soundtrack filled with a deep and warm romanticism complemented by a helping or two of merriment.

'Dawn' introduces the score's dominant musical motif (which I shall dub the 'P&P theme' for convenience). Its tentative beginning has isolated notes tolling like a bell, evoking perhaps the dripping morning dew. Spanning the upper and lower reaches of the piano in typical Beethovenian fashion, it then creates a painful yearning, and gently tumbling notes finally bring the piece to a satisfying and restful close. The same theme appears in 'Stars and Butterflies' (disguised with a key signature change), after the very Beethoven-like adagio that opens the piece.

In the inexpressively poignant piece, 'The Living Statues of Pemberley', the piano faintly echoes Gabriel Fauré's 'Pavane for a Dead Princess' at first blush. Distant strings and a mournful oboe enter, suggesting the sense of awe and wonder that once-proud Elizabeth Bennet, now with a humbled heart and opened mind, feels upon viewing the life-like marble sculptures in Mr Darcy's palatial home of Pemberley.

The dances start off with 'Meryton Townhall', bursting forth with the exuberance of an Irish reel. Its cheerful and jaunty fiddles and flutes will make your feet itch to do some country dancing à la turn-of-the-19th century England. Here the Bennet sisters first make the acquaintance of the two most desirable bachelors come to town, Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy, happily with the former and unpleasantly (especially for Elizabeth) with the latter. To contrast with the informality of this public ball, we are given 'Another Dance', the stately music that attends the stricter social affair at Mr Bingley's Netherfield home. In the third 'dance' track, conductor Benjamin Wallfisch seems to be cracking a whip above the heads of his players whilst urging them to go 'Faster, faster, faster!' They oblige and 'Can't Slow Down' (on track 14).

On the brisk and buoyant 'The Militia Marches In' (played by the English Chamber Orchestra's...fife-and-drum corps?), the only things missing are the silly giggles of Lizzy's two youngest sisters, Lydia and Kitty, while gawking at the handsome redcoats making their entrance into Meryton. This will get you marking time, too.

In 'Postcard to Purcell', the composer lifts the rondeau from the incidental music to 'Abdelazer' (a.k.a. 'The Moor's Revenge'), written by Henry Purcell (English baroque composer, 1659-1695), to which he adds some decorative colour. Starting out as a beguiling violin solo performed without vibrato by Aidan Broadbridge, the piece acquires frilly ornaments and a few double stops on the later repeats, while strings join in to embellish the piece with shimmering, ephemeral accents.

'Arriving in Netherfield' positively glows with happy anticipation, and the second part soars heavenward with help from the orchestra. Conversely, 'Leaving Netherfield' betrays a touch of melancholy and taps different themes. The melodic bit from 'Stars and Butterflies' is followed by an expansive reworking of Purcell's 'Abdelazer' rondeau, played with even greater tenderness by piano and violins.

'Georgiana' is 'played' on film by Mr Darcy's sister on a (supposed) pianoforte (the real thing could not have summoned such power as can the beefier modern concert grand used on the soundtrack). It's a giddy, galloping miniature that detours into the minor keys along the way. With the addition of strings and some brass, it assumes a spaciousness that recalls the ravishing shots of the windswept moors in many outdoor scenes.

'Liz on Top of the World' has swooning string arpeggios and descending piano scales to sweep you away after a quiet opening. It grips you like a sudden violent wind, conjuring once more those gusty country greens. The same musical theme runs through 'The Secret Life of Daydreams', which repetitively traces a musical segment to distraction. With an urgency to the Phillip Glassian prelude, 'Darcy's Letter' turns from distressing to plaintive in a trice. A delicately subdued piano can be heard, shadowed by a sombre cello played by Caroline Dale. It befits the mood of the scene in which Elizabeth thoughtfully reads Darcy's missive.

When Lizzy and Darcy meet again in the misty fields at the crack of dawn, an unspoken mutual understanding is now forged between them. A coyly titled ('Your Hands Are Cold') mini-anthology accompanies this scene of restrained passion. It runs to nearly six minutes and reprises several of the previous themes: the unsettling beginning to 'Darcy's Letter', a variation on the 'P&P' theme, and bits from 'The Living Statues of Pemberley'. (The film should have ended with this sequence, in my view.) Serving as the musical backdrop for the final scene in the cut screened for US audiences, 'Mrs Darcy' takes the 'Pemberley' theme and glides into a more vigorous (victorious?) recounting of the 'P&P theme'. Lastly, for the ending credits, the music recapitulates all the major themes already heard.

Led by the composer-conductor Benjamin Wallfisch (who also did the orchestrations; Wallfish is an incredibly young prodigy born in 1979!), the English Chamber Orchestra's exceptional renditions can sound wholly authentic to the period (as in the dances and 'Postcard to Purcell'), or unabashedly sensual (everything else). Bravo to their vital and spirited performances! Recording is done with a flawless clarity and an airiness so that the music, like the film, seems to surround the listener, to pleasing advantage.

One must mention the crucial role of the keyboard artist in this piano-rich score. Mr Jean-Yves Thibaudet's bewitching interpretations border on quiet heartbreak and melancholy - when they aren't filling you with an intense inner joy. This soundtrack has made a quick Thibaudet fan of this writer. I'd never heard too many of his recordings before, but will be devoting more serious attention to his CDs henceforth! (I hope many more readers/listeners venture to do the same.) But wait…his disc repertoire lists no Beethoven sonatas…?!

Finally, this soundtrack gets extra points for its 'listenability quotient'. One can put it on, sit back, and enjoy the music from start to finish with hardly any dull stretches in between - a rare quality for recordings of its kind. Why does this one work so well? For starters, each entry feels complete, lasting on average a minute or two. Second - and this is a note for those who've seen the film - the track sequence does not follow the film's chronology - so don't wonder why 'Georgiana', that marvellous piece played much later in the film, comes in early at track 6. At first slightly annoying, the altered sequence actually makes more musical sense. It avoids (although not entirely) consecutive repeats of the same melodies, and faster songs are mixed in with slower ones, thus breaking the monotony of similar tempos on successive tracks. Another merciful blessing: there is no mawkishness here to drive away the unsentimental realist (John Williams via Spielberg, anyone?).

The only weakness I can find is the disc's skimpy playing time; the entire CD runs for just forty-one-and-a-half minutes. Perhaps further development and variations on the themes could have plumped up the disc for greedy listeners like me. (If you'd put it on at the start of this review, the CD might be over by the time you're done reading it!)

Nonetheless, so perfectly does the music harmonize with the filmic events that hearing the music again brings you straight back to the rarefied world of 'P&P' - a most welcome effect, to be sure. Verily, you won't, can't, shan't regret the purchase of this disc. Only one thing to do once now, my dearies (if you've come this far without dozing off) - go get this CD, for yourself and for others. It would make a great holiday present. Re-live the movie once more through its music - indeed, it's the only thing we have to sate our hunger for 'P&P' till the DVD comes out - unless you're fine with shelling out more moolah for repeat viewings at the cinema!

Track Listing:

1. Dawn
2. Stars and Butterflies
3. The Living Sculptures of Pemberly
4. Meryton Townhall
5. The Militia Marches In
6. Georgiana
7. Arrival at Netherfield
8. A Postcard to Henry Purcell
9. Liz on Top of the World
10. Leaving Netherfield
11. Another Dance
12. The Secret Life of Daydreams
13. Darcy's Letter
14. Can't Slow Down
15. Your Hands Are Cold
16. Mrs. Darcy
17. Credits

Available at:
Amazon.com for $13.49 + .
Amazon.co.uk GBP 8.80 + .

 

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