Rachel Portman, anyone?

[Tom Guernsey 2,286]

1 hour ago, JTW said:

She has a clear style, but she cannot deviate from it. It's like every theme is a variation of her initial theme composed for her first score. I stopped listening to and buying her scores after the 10th score sounded almost exactly like the previous one. 

I think her score to EMMA (which is a prime example of her monothematic scoring) won the Best Original Score Oscar because the Academy wanted to give the award to a woman. So she made Oscar history. But imho if you heard one Rachel Portman score, you heard them all.

I think that's a touch unfair, some of the others I've mentioned above are a bit more interesting and deviate from her core style more than your comment suggests. I think maybe her drama scores are all fairly similar but there's greater range elsewhere. I'm not saying she's an especially amazing or adventurous composer but there is a bit more to discover, but I can understand why people would stop bothering when it all feels a bit samey. I do think her Oscar was a bit of a token award, it was just a typical Oscar bait movie at the right time. As I said before, compared to Patrick Doyle's period scores of the time such as Sense & Sensibility or his various Branagh Shakespeare scores, it's fairly underwhelming.

 

1 hour ago, JTW said:

I have yet to discover a truly great female film composer. Shirley Walker is pretty good, as far as her writing a good theme goes, her theme for SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES is excellent. 

She probably liked the movie so she bought the score. 

Alas I fear it may be lack of opportunity than anything, but Shirley Walker was definitely one of the finest. Her Batman: Mask of the Phantasm theme is my favourite Batman theme (even over Elfman's, albeit by the thinnest of margins!) and the rest of the score is excellent. Agreed on the Superman animated show, the Batman TV scores are great (if not better) too. I'd also recommend Willard and the music she wrote for the short lived sci-fi show, Space: Above and Beyond.

 

At the risk of going too off topic I would also recommend checking out stuff by Debbie Wiseman who is a considerably more interesting composer than Portman. Indeed her score to Wilde would have been another more worth winner than Emma. For a complete change of pace, Arséne Lupin is a terrific, fully orchestral action/thriller score.

 

6 minutes ago, Bespin said:

I think we’re offering her films that have a specific genre, which not always require 6 themes and 14 leitmotives, like a Star Wars movie.

Exactly! Sometimes one theme (and maybe the odd recurring idea) is all you need, but I can understand that it's not just that which makes her scores a bit samey, the style and approach can be pretty unvarying.

[Thor 7,508]

I can tell that Portman is a fav of yours, Tom.

[Tom Guernsey 2,286]

10 minutes ago, Thor said:

I can tell that Portman is a fav of yours, Tom.

Hilarious.

[Yavar Moradi 2,599]

3 hours ago, JTW said:

But imho if you heard one Rachel Portman score, you heard them all.

 

My favorite Portman score, by far, is Never Let Me Go. I haven't heard a single other Portman score that sounds like it, and it has so much more depth than any other film score of hers that I've encountered (all of which are charming and likable enough, but as you say rather samey).

 

3 hours ago, JTW said:

I have yet to discover a truly great female film composer. Shirley Walker is pretty good, as far as her writing a good theme goes, her theme for SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES is excellent. 

 

You contradict yourself.  Shirley Walker is a truly great female film composer; she just didn't get enough big film assignments to truly shine there. That said, Willard is brilliant; a score Bernard Herrmann might have been proud to write. Memoirs of an Invisible Man is excellent stuff and really deserves a Deluxe Edition from Varese. And Turbulence is a crackerjack action score.

 

But her TV work is where she really shines. Besides her superhero work (Superman and Batman and The Flash), her solo work scoring a whole season of Space: Above and Beyond is some of the best TV scoring in history.

 

Yavar

[JNHFan2000 2,966]

3 hours ago, Tom Guernsey said:

At the risk of going too off topic I would also recommend checking out stuff by Debbie Wiseman who is a considerably more interesting composer than Portman. Indeed her score to Wilde would have been another more worth winner than Emma. For a complete change of pace, Arséne Lupin is a terrific, fully orchestral action/thriller score.

I'll go with you off topic. I do think Wiseman is a better composer than Portman.

Wilde, Tom's Midnight Garden, Arséne Lupin, Lesbian Vampire Killers, Tom & Viv and last years To Olivia & The Music Of Kings & Queens are all excellent!

 

Wilde especially is a magnificent score!

[Tom Guernsey 2,286]

8 minutes ago, JNHFan2000 said:

I'll go with you off topic. I do think Wiseman is a better composer than Portman.

Wilde, Tom's Midnight Garden, Arséne Lupin, Lesbian Vampire Killers, Tom & Viv and last years To Olivia & The Music Of Kings & Queens are all excellent!

 

Wilde especially is a magnificent score!

Agreed, much more technically accomplished, more interesting and a wider range. I have The Music of Kings & Queens but haven't listened to it yet so I really must. I'm kinda put off by the narrative tracks but I assume the music is presented discretely.

[Thor 7,508]

I've weeded out the narration on the album. Works great.

[JNHFan2000 2,966]

6 minutes ago, Tom Guernsey said:

I have The Music of Kings & Queens but haven't listened to it yet so I really must. I'm kinda put off by the narrative tracks but I assume the music is presented discretely.

 

3 minutes ago, Thor said:

I've weeded out the narration on the album. Works great.

 

I did the same. It works great indeed

[Yavar Moradi 2,599]

Also, Rachel Portman's greatest work may not be for film at all (thought IMO Never Let Me Go is certainly a contender) -- has anyone here heard her opera The Little Prince? It is simply wonderful and blows away most of her film work:

 

 

Check it out folks.

 

Yavar

[GerateWohl 4,370]

3 hours ago, Yavar Moradi said:

Also, Rachel Portman's greatest work may not be for film at all (thought IMO Never Let Me Go is certainly a contender) -- has anyone here heard her opera The Little Prince? It is simply wonderful and blows away most of her film work:

 

 

Check it out folks.

 

Yavar

I have the double CD since about 15 years or so, but never managed to listen to the whole thing. Never even made it to disc 2. But that doesn't mean that I didn't like what I heard. I am simply not the opera type. And opera in english in addition is not my thing, too. But I always wanted to take the time to listen more closely. One day.

[Jurassic Shark 12,079]

Tomorrow?

[JTN 2,029]

6 hours ago, Yavar Moradi said:

 

My favorite Portman score, by far, is Never Let Me Go. I haven't heard a single other Portman score that sounds like it, and it has so much more depth than any other film score of hers that I've encountered (all of which are charming and likable enough, but as you say rather samey).

 

 

You contradict yourself.  Shirley Walker is a truly great female film composer; she just didn't get enough big film assignments to truly shine there. That said, Willard is brilliant; a score Bernard Herrmann might have been proud to write. Memoirs of an Invisible Man is excellent stuff and really deserves a Deluxe Edition from Varese. And Turbulence is a crackerjack action score.

 

But her TV work is where she really shines. Besides her superhero work (Superman and Batman and The Flash), her solo work scoring a whole season of Space: Above and Beyond is some of the best TV scoring in history.

 

Yavar

I like Shirley Walker very much, but I don’t think she’s a truly great composer. I like BTAS and STAS and even Memoirs of an Invisible Man, but I don’t think that even she is on the level of all the great male composers. Sorry, it’s just my opinion. But I of course accept your and everyone else’s opinion who disagrees.

And I also agree that Walker and Wiseman are better composers than RP.

Portman was at the right time at the right place and got an Oscar and that propelled her career. But she hasn’t done anything truly significant since. She writes enjoyable but same-sounding, forgettable scores that are nice to listen to, but nothing special.

[Yavar Moradi 2,599]

1 hour ago, GerateWohl said:

I have the double CD since about 15 years or so, but never managed to listen to the whole thing. Never even made it to disc 2. But that doesn't mean that I didn't like what I heard. I am simply not the opera type. And opera in english in addition is not my thing, too. But I always wanted to take the time to listen more closely. One day.

 

Perhaps watching it instead of just listening to it would make a difference for you. Opera is theatre, after all.
 

1 hour ago, JTW said:

I like Shirley Walker very much, but I don’t think she’s a truly great composer. I like BTAS and STAS and even Memoirs of an Invisible Man, but I don’t think that even she is on the level of all the great male composers. Sorry, it’s just my opinion. But I of course accept your and everyone else’s opinion who disagrees.

 

I think she was a truly great composer, with a unique voice, but due to her gender she wasn't given as many opportunities as her talent deserved. If she had, perhaps she could actually compete with others in the pantheon. I guess I agree that based on her existing output, which is limited, she can't quite. But "great" doesn't have to mean "best".

 

1 hour ago, JTW said:

Portman was at the right time at the right place and got an Oscar and that propelled her career. But she hasn’t done anything truly significant since. She writes enjoyable but same-sounding, forgettable scores that are nice to listen to, but nothing special.

 

Assuming you've heard Never Let Me Go, I'd like to know what other Portman scores it sounds like because I'd love to seek them out.

Yavar

[Bespin 8,483]

Currently discovering the album "Ask the River".

 

Ohhhh....

 

 

[Bespin 8,483]

Some singles were released last year as "piano suites" and a Debut album was planned at Sony in November 2022... but... finally nothing.

 

Source : https://www.sonyclassical.com/news/news-details/rachel-portman

 

I can't find a place where to buy all these suites, which are available on the streaming services as "singles", but not yet as an "album".

 

What when wrong?

[Jay 37,368]

It drops March 3rd

 

 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/beyond-the-screen-film-works-on-piano/1649360878

[Jay 37,368]

Physical CD info including back cover artwork

 

https://www.swiatksiazki.pl/beyond-the-screen-film-works-on-piano-6954980-muzyka.html

[BeepBeepRitchie 4]

Personally I think she did a great job on "Hart's War". That trumpet theme is sublime.

[Jurassic Shark 12,079]

Samples are up.

 

https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/beyond-the-screen-film-works-on-piano/hnum/11085519

[Jay 37,368]

This is out digitally in countries where it is already Friday

 

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/beyond-the-screen-film-works-on-piano/1649360878

[GerateWohl 4,370]

I most probably get my CD tomorrow. 

[Thor 7,508]

Piano reduction albums are very hit/miss, but occasionally offer something good. Portman is such a brilliant tunesmith that maybe her music supports it. I'll be checking it out.

[GerateWohl 4,370]

For scores like her's which usually have a chamber music character anyway, I think, this should work perfectly. And the single "The Duchess", that is out now for some time, is great.

[Jurassic Shark 12,079]

 

 

 

[JNHFan2000 2,966]

I really love the album. It's all beautifully played and the few tracks where the cello joins are gorgeous.

I could listen to this all day. And since it came out I've been revisiting her scores and she's such a good thematic writing. She has so many themes that are instantely recognisable. Really hope she gets a bit more projects in film again in the coming years.

[Jurassic Shark 12,079]

I hope Varese will rerelease Patrick Doyle's piano album, which now goes for about €100 on the second-hand market.

[JNHFan2000 2,966]

This is a great listen! 

 

Portman in conversation with BBC radio "Sound Of Cinema" with the BBC Philharmonic playing selections of her music

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001r91w

 

[JNHFan2000 2,966]

Still one of my all time favorite themes. Absolutely gorgeous!

 

 

[Thor 7,508]

Fantastic theme, repeated a little too often (as often happens with her).

 

But it is a must-have, along with USED PEOPLE, EMMA, THE DUCHESS, GREY GARDENS, SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN and THEIR FINEST.