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Co-Produced by:
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Maggie Rodford
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Conducted by:
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James Shearman
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Release Date:
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January 15th, 2002
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Availability:
Regular U.S. release.
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Filmtracks Editorial Review:
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Gosford Park: (Patrick Doyle) When one thinks about a Robert Altman film,
the original score isn't the first thing that comes to mind. His character rich
dramas often receive their acclaim for their outstanding direction,
screenwriting, and acting. The intensely intimate manner by which Altman
typically concentrates on the story and its characters rather than anything more
flashy can cause the scores for his films to fade away into obscurity. In many
cases, his films don't even need a score. This wasn't the case, however, with
Gosford Park, which was a musical-like diversion for Altman. The film
follows the same kind of theatrical stage-like bubble of action, with the
murderous who-done-it story played out in the lavish confines of a mansion in a
century past. The characters are musically inclined, breaking out into song in
several parts of the film. The period and decadent style of the setting
necessitates a score to accompany the songs, and for the project, Altman looked
no further than Patrick Doyle. With one of his most recent projects having
involved a stylish musical, Doyle was a logical choice.
The musical approach to Gosford Park, however, is nothing like Love's
Labour's Lost. Because it still holds true to the tight grip of Altmanism,
Gosford Park was a project for which Doyle needed only a small ensemble
and a swaggering theme. Without so much as one flashy moment, Doyle recorded the
score with only an ensemble of a dozen or so primary instruments. The piano is
the center of both the songs and the score, as it is also a part of the film's
story. Minimalistic by Doyle's standards, Gosford Park has its moments of
jazzy flair and rolling piano cues, but the mass of it tinkers along with a
light beat and the meanderings of a solo instrument of choice. The story's dual
settings within the mansion caused Doyle to tackle the upstairs extravaganza of
wealth with a different set of instruments than the seedy downstairs of the
mansion, where the dirty kitchen gossip reigns. The former --rich with high
society conversation and snipes-- is scored with the same kind of piano attitude
that you'd expect upon walking into a fashionable department store. The latter
--where the workers cut to the chase-- is portrayed through a lower class
accordian. The duality is effective, though not particularly inspiring in the
restraints placed on them by the story. The best cues of the score are Doyle's
infusion of jazz, which is highlighted by the "Inspector Thompson" cue of
devilish sax style.
The songs in Gosford Park are composed by Ivor Novello. They mix
surprisingly well with the score --which is something that Altman gives to
Doyle's credit, since the songs came first and it was Doyle's job to connect
them with a compatible score. Those songs, however, aren't particularly clever
or refreshing. Their simple construction and somewhat shakey performances by
various characters remind us that with Altman, the story comes first and music
is simply an accessory. Abigail Doyle contributes two songs to the film, both of
which superior to the male performances. Together, they make a functional
--albeit lightweight-- album. There's nothing new or fantastic about the music
for Gosford Park, though the album is selling well enough in the wake of
the film's critical success. For Doyle fans, you may be disappointed by the
restraint that Doyle places on himself, as to never overshadow the primary focus
of the film: the character drama and nearly constant dialogue or singing. A
pleasant, though mundane listen on album. ***
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Viewer Ratings and Comments:
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• 1. Waltz of my Heart (2:06) - Song by Novello
• 2. Mr. Parks (1:48)
• 3. Gosford Park (2:22)
• 4. Bored to Sobs (1:31)
• 5. The Shirt (1:40)
• 6. And Her Mother Came Too (1:54) - Song by Novello
• 7. Walking to Shoot (1:20)
• 8. No Smoke Without Fire (1:34)
• 9. Scherzo in G (1:30)
• 10. I Can Give You the Starlight (2:35) - Song by Novello
• 11. What a Duke Should Be (1:56) - Song by Novello
• 12. Inspector Thompson (3:08)
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• 13. Pull Yourself Together (1:48)
• 14. Life Goes On (2:28)
• 15. Secrets to Hide (2:04)
• 16. Only For a While (3:16) - Song by Doyle
• 17. Rather a Pasting (1:34)
• 18. Love Jam (3:07)
• 19. Why Isn't It You? (2:14) - Song by Novello
• 20. The Way It's Meant to Be (2:10) - Song by Doyle
• 21. Carpe Diem (1:03)
• 22. Good Luck (1:30)
• 23. Your Boy's Alive (2:00)
• 24. The Land That Might-Have-Been (4:18) - Song by Novello
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Insert includes extensive credits and
notes from both Doyle and director Robert Altman about the scoring process for
the film.
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