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Woman in Gold: (Martin Phipps/Hans Zimmer) Based on
the true story of Jewish refugee Maria Altmann, whose family fled
Austria during World War II,
Woman in Gold tells of her plight to
regain ownership of uniquely styled artwork that had been stolen from
her family by the Nazis. While the real legal case involved five pieces
of art worth hundreds of millions of dollars, the 2015 movie was focused
on the primary "Woman in Gold" painting of her aunt. Helen Mirren plays
Altmann as the various legal battles play out in Austria and America,
with several elements of the story embellished or outright altered. In
the end, Altmann wins her case at the United States Supreme Court and
with Austrian arbiters, taking possession of the paintings from Austrian
museums and moving them to America. It's not the most glamorous subject
matter, but
Woman in Gold had enough character intrigue to carry
it to solid box office results even if it failed to muster much awards
interest. The soundtrack contains a blend of classical source placements
and original music by Martin Phipps and Hans Zimmer. It wasn't uncommon
for Zimmer to take an interest in scoring only parts of a World War II
drama, including 2024's
Blitz, targeting his efforts on one side
of a story in a separated assignment. The main credit for the music in
Woman in Gold goes to Phipps, a British composer known most for
his television works but branching into film projects on occasion as
well. Zimmer was reportedly only interested in scoring the flashback
sequences in
Woman in Gold, leaving the bulk of the modern-day
courtroom and other drama to Phipps. The extent of the direct
collaboration between the two composers is not certain, but each
utilized their own ghostwriter. (Zimmer only wrote about three minutes
of music solo for the movie, the opening credits.) The style of the
score overall is consistent between the two, a chamber feel with piano
and slight synthetic accompaniment guiding both halves of the work.
Phipps applies the synthetic effects for the modern scenes more readily
alongside the connecting chamber tones. Highlighted performers include
acoustic guitar, alpine horn, piano, and cello. Aside from the light
classical source pieces and one rock song on the soundtrack, the work is
consistently tonal and easily digestible, both composers offering muted
but appreciable drama without getting in the way of the narrative. There
are moments of dissonance in "The Belvedere," "Fleeing Vienna," and
"Flight 12 to Cologne," but these passages don't define the whole.
One theme by Zimmer for
Woman in Gold carries
over between the composers, but Phipps otherwise tends to meander,
especially at the score's end. The contribution by his ghostwriter, "The
Language of Our Future," is somewhat unique in its quartet presentation,
and the long, upbeat crescendo of the finale by Phipps, "I Lived Here,"
doesn't resolve either of the themes. That main idea by Zimmer, arguably
for the painting itself, is an elusive and twisted melody with
significant looping in its construct, the same elegant, three-note
phrase dominating all three parts of the cold theme. It is sometimes
preceded by an upwards trio on piano. First heard on that solitary
instrument in the opening titles at 0:34 and 1:23 into "Restless," the
expression of this idea is somewhat listless until horns make a quick
reference at the end of the cue. It is staggered in less fluid fragments
on piano in "Vienna" over slight waltz rhythms, and only the underlying
chords drive the deep string rhythm and ambient haze of "Open the Door."
Phipps uses Zimmer's theme in subtle guises throughout the minimal
"Apotheke." The main theme re-establishes its original piano formations
in Zimmer's "Fleeing Vienna," this time including accelerated and
insistent string and synth rhythms underneath. In this cue, forceful
brass and percussion offer the most muscular moment in the score, though
its long crescendo is challenging to tolerate after a while. That tone
continues for the theme's chords and fragments in "Flight 12 to
Cologne." The theme becomes cyclical in pieces on piano throughout the
synthetic rhythms of "Art Theft" and is altered by Phipps in its main
three notes during the mystery of "Statues." A secondary resolution
theme by Phipps is alternately for Altman herself, consisting of
descending four-note phrases that don't carry over into the Zimmer cues.
This theme is developed fullest on piano and strings in "Maria Altman,"
the end credits cue and arguably the score's highlight as the most
inspirational moment. The first chronological presentation of this idea
in the film is explored in "Final Testimony," where it espouses more
ominous gravity than the end credits performance. There is potentially a
Randy Schoenberg theme at work for Altman's lawyer, built upon six-note
phrases of heightened intrigue the use the same rhythmic formations as
the other themes. Defined throughout "Randy Schoenberg" on electronic
keyboarding, similar tones present determined and bright atmosphere in
"First Hurdle Down." Overall,
Woman in Gold is a completely
decent but mostly forgettable score for the genre. The blending of the
two composer's styles is adequate, Zimmer generally supplying the gloomy
portions while Phipps addresses the protagonist with optimism. It's a
fairly undemanding listening experience.
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The insert includes no extra information about the score or film.
