Richard Robbins - Maurice: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Recording (1987) Japanese Reissue 1991

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Richard Robbins - Maurice: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Recording (1987) Japanese Reissue 1991

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I must say that until now the music in Merchant/Ivory films has never particularly struck me. Sure, it always seems to suit the films quite nicely, with a fitting period mood, but truly great soundtracks (Goldsmith, Eidelman, Horner) can stand completely on their own as symphonic works. If anything, you feel you would like to do a film for the music, not the other way around.

This work by Richard Robbins is definitely in the latter categor. Robbins is always full of determination, knows what effect he wants to achieve and how to achieve it.

The prologue sets the mood, with a sweeping, confident string theme for Mr Ducie (heard again in the British Museum sequence) and a touch of mystery and Sturm-und-Drang for Maurice. The track segues into the nighttime Cambridge sequence, with its slightly swashbuckling sound (and what is it with this movie and its obsession with bells tolling?).

"At the pianola" combines Tchaikovsky with the alluring, tender music that accompanies Clive's and Maurice's outing.

"Two letters" is what I would describe as the standard Merchant/Ivory fare, and predictably it occurs during the letterwriting sequence, which appears to be a bit of a sendup of the other Forster novels, with its female talkiness and naivety.

"In Greece" is lush and nicely contrasts the serenity of Greece with Maurice's not-quite-selfless doings in Bermondsey. "The Wedding" has the big organ and is a nice Bach-like interlude.

Unquestionably one of the major goosebumps moments in the film is the haunting "Miserere" by Gregorio Allegri. Unfortunately, the version on this CD is rather hissy (it is a recording from 1964!) – if you like the track you might prefer to get it somewhere else. The Latin version is prettier anyway.

"Pendersleigh in Gloom" shows Robbins has a knack for cute little piano pieces, this one suggests a nocturne by Chopin and is wonderfully moody.

The "Café Royale" is an elegant little waltz. It is difficult seeing this in the film (or hearing the music) without being reminded of dinner on the "Titanic". But Ivory was there before Cameron.

The next track is a little piano ditty, almost obnoxiously gay (in the original sense of the word). The track becomes surprisingly dark and even electronic with the train sequence.

The "Moonlit Night" is another highlight, suggesting Maurice's sleeplessness and transmogrifying into the seduction theme. At first when seeing the movie I was not so sure about that theme – in its pounding, menacing aggressiveness it seems to be a strange choice for a scene that is supposed to be sweet and romantic. But we hear that theme again during the blackmailing attempt, so I guess it is supposed to express the good old "sex = danger" sentiment. Around two minutes into the track it is a bit reminiscient of the "The Last Emperor" score to me. It has an oriental feel to it.

"In the Renault" is another favorite of mine, very dramatic in the fashion of Bernard Herrmann and expressing both Maurice's yearning as well as the realization he might have made a big mistake.

"Alec's Farewell" again picks up the undulating seafaring theme heard in the first track, albeit with a melancholy streak.

The best part of the movie and the soundtrack is without a doubt "The Boathouse", particularly with its strikingly simple and straightforward, yet deeply affecting romantic two-note motif with its suggestion of trust and dependability at the end.

"Clive and Anne" is an amusing study in British upper-class boredom (without being itself boring of course) – as Clive locks up his wife, who looks like the Virgin Mary, in their house, a nice preview of what their marriage has in store for them – certainly not romance, and perhaps not even sex. In the most powerful moment of the movie when Clive looks out the window and considers the life that might have been, the music concludes stunningly.

The "End Titles" feel slightly clichéd and workmanlike, but all in all, while this soundtrack is short, with its romantic lushness and emotional evocativeness (without being overly manipulative), it stands as one of the best I have heard in quite some time.

Martin Doege, Amazon.com

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Richard Robbins - Maurice: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Recording (1987) Japanese Reissue 1991

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Richard Robbins - Maurice: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Recording (1987) Japanese Reissue 1991

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