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Pride & Prejudice:
Musical Treatment of the Classical Literature Story
Preserving the Spirit of The Historical Époque While
Reaching a Contemporary Flavor to Touch Present Day
Audiences
Zuzana Michlerová
Master of Music in Scoring for Film, Television and Videogames Candidate
Berklee College of Music-Valencia Campus
July 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. DARIO MARIANELLI AND PRIDE AND PREJUDICE INTRODUCTION
1
2. PLOT SUMMARY
3
3. MUSIC OVERVIEW
10
4. THEMES
13
5. CUES ANALYSIS
24
6. CONCLUSION
39
BIBLIOGRAPHY
40
ii
1. DARIO MARIANELLI AND PRIDE AND PREJUDICE INTRODUCTION
The award winning Italian composer Dario Marianelli has worked with
the prominent British director Joe Wright on four films so far. The movie Pride
and Prejudice was released in 2005 and its music received an Oscar nomination
in the Best Original Score category. Besides Pride and Prejudice the collaboration
between Dario Marianelli and Joe Wright also includes notable movies as Anna
Karenina, Atonement and The Soloist. For Atonement Dario Marianelli was
awarded the Oscar, Golden Globe and Ivor Novello Award in the Best Original
Score category.1
The story of Pride and Prejudice is
based
on
Jane
Austin’s 1813 novel
which leads the viewer back to the late 18 century society. In relation to this fact
and classical conception of the movie Beethoven’s
early
piano
sonatas
became
a
point of reference for the score to Pride and Prejudice. Nevertheless, Dario
Marianelli abandons historical correctness for a more intimate and emotional
treatment of the story when needed. The spirit of the historical époque is thus
preserved while a contemporary flavor intended to touch present day audiences
is pursued. The architecture of the score and the employment of themes and
their character will be analyzed in the following text. This will bring a closer
insight of how Dario Marianelli uses classical musical material while giving it a
contemporary character when desirable.
1
Air
Edel,
“Dario
Marianelli,” accessed May 10, 2015, http://www.airedel.co.uk/representation/composers/6/dario-marianelli/.
1
The score was recorded by pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the English
Chamber Orchestra.2 The main characters of the movie are portrayed by Keira
Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen, and the script was written by Deborah
Moggach.3
A subtle work with details is a noticeable feature of Marianelli’s
score.
Therefore a special attention to details in terms of orchestration, scene
transitions and use of themes will be given in the music analysis chapters.
Numbering and naming of the cues and themes was designed to demonstrate the
structure of the score in the clearest way possible.
Dan
Goldwasser,
“[Interview
with
Dario
Marianelli],”
soundtrack.net, last modified 2006,
accessed May 10, 2015, http://www.soundtrack.net/content/article/?id=187;
for review of the music check William Ruhlmann, “AllMusic Review”, allmusic.com, accessed May
10, 2015, http://www.allmusic.com/album/pride-prejudice-original-score-mw0000704072.
3 IMDb,
“Pride
and
Prejudice
(2005),”
accessed
May
11,
2015,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0414387/.
2
2
2. PLOT SUMMARY
The movie opens with the scenery of the countryside at dawn, later the
main female character Elisabeth Bennet is shown reading a book while walking
on her way home. The camera walks the viewer slowly through the house and
the conversation of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet can be overheard talking about a young
wealthy man (Mr. Bingley) buying the neighboring Netherfield Park Estate. As all
five Bennets daughters are unmarried, Mrs. Bennet perceives this event as an
occasion to have one daughter married tackling the general true expressed in
Jane
Austin’s
novel:
“It
is
a
truth
universally acknowledged that a single man in
possession of a good fortune must
be
in
want
of
a
wife”. When opening the door
Mr. Bennet discovers all five daughters listening to the conversation. As the
curiosity about Mr. Bingley and desire to be introduced to him raises, Mr. Bennet
reveals that he has already talked to him and confirms the participation of the
family in the upcoming ball organized to welcome Mr. Bingley’s
arrival
to
town.
The following part brings us to the 18th century public ball. People are in
the middle of a party when the music suddenly stops and new coming guests,
who are obviously representatives of the higher society, enter the ball room.
It’s
Mr. Bingley with his sister Caroline and his close friend Mr. Darcy who appears
to be closed and unsympathetic at first glance compared to agreeable and
smiling Mr. Bingley. We
learn
about
Mr.
Darcy’s
being
a very wealthy man as is
informed by Elisabeth’s
close friend Charlotte. Typical ball music of the given
period starts again and the amusement continues. Mrs.
Bennet
doesn’t
hesitate
to introduce her daughters to the new guests and a delightful conversation
between Jane Bennet (the eldest Bennets daughter and the closest one to
3
Elisabeth) and Mr. Bingley develops. The sympathy between the two young
people is noticeable as Mr. Bingley also admits to his friend Mr. Darcy later on. A
less delightful conversation develops between Elisabeth and Mr. Darcy, who
refuses to dance even though not a single lady is sitting down. Mr. Darcy
considers Elisabeth barely tolerable and not handsome enough to tempt him.
Nevertheless,
Elisabeth’s
wit
and
elegant
way
of
expressing
her
opinion
strikes
Mr. Darcy at the end of the ball.
Elisabeth and Jane are talking about
the
ball
and
Mr.
Bingley’s
attachment
to Jane before falling asleep. A soft
transition
to
the
Bennet’s
house in the
morning follows. A
letter
arrives
while
the
Bennet’s
family
is
having
their
breakfast, Jane
is
invited
to
come
to
dine
with
Mr.
Bingley’s
sister
Caroline
while
Mr. Bingley would dine out. As Mrs. Bennet wants Jane to meet Mr. Bingley again,
she sends her to Netherfield on the horseback although
it’s
very
possible that it
is going to rain which will strategically prevent Jane from coming back home the
same evening. Jane arrives at Netherfield totally soaked and stays ill there.
Elisabeth decides to walk to visit her sister and stays with her at Netherfield too.
This occasion gives an opportunity for Mr. Darcy to better picture Elisabeth’s
character and wit through conversations lead during her stay in the house.
Mr. Collins, a clergyman who is given a parsonage to administer by Mr.
Darcy’s
aunt
Lady
Catherine, comes to visit the Bennet’s
family with the clear
purpose of choosing a wife. Nevertheless, he is a rather awkward and ridiculous
person hiding behind the wisdom of literature and study.
The
Bennet’s
sisters
walk
to
town
where
they
make
a
new
acquaintance
with Mr. Wickham who is a soldier in a regiment residing currently in the town.
When meeting Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy on the way back, it is obvious that
4
there is a tension between Mr. Wickham and Mr. Darcy. Mr. Wickham being
connected
to
Mr.
Darcy’s
family
since
infancy
claims that Mr. Darcy denied to
give him a rectory which he should have inherited according to the will of Mr.
Darcy’s
father. This fact should have made him become a poor soldier. Elisabeth
believes him as he is a persuasive narrator and her interest in him becomes
noticeable.
The Bennets prepare themselves for the ball. A splendid arrival of guests
to the ball follows. Mr. Bingley and his sister Caroline welcome the guests,
Elisabeth searches for Mr. Wickham and learns that he is not coming to the ball.
Mr. Collins who intends to propose Elisabeth marriage asks her for a dance, and
she is even more surprised when Mr. Darcy asks her to dance with him. An
invigorating sarabande is played for their dance. Elisabeth teases Mr. Darcy on
his lack of conversation skills and advises him on possible topics of conversation.
Their talk also tackles Mr. Wickham and thus becomes more and more tense. Mr.
Darcy hopes to afford Elisabeth more clarity on this matter in the future. Their
conversation ends and music takes over the scene as if we were suddenly
watching the couple from distance. They both leave the dance tense. The other
scenes show Jane and Mr. Bingley happy together, Mrs. Bennet expecting soon
the marriage proposal, Charlotte talking to Elisabeth and the bustling of the ball.
Mr. Collins demands a private audience with Elisabeth in order to make
her a marriage proposal. She refuses him supported by his father. Right after,
Elisabeth finds Jane crying with a letter from Caroline Bingley in her hands. Mr.
Bingley leaves Netherfield suddenly. Jane leaves for London to visit her uncle and
aunt with the hope of meeting Mr. Bingley there. Charlotte comes to see
Elisabeth to tell her news about her being engaged to Mr. Collins, Elisabeth
5
cannot understand her choice as she considers Mr. Collins ridiculous. Charlotte
explains her motives of her being burden to her parents at her age and not
having any other prospects and asks not to be judged. Elisabeth stays alone on
the swing thinking, the time passes and a transition to
Charlotte’s
new
home is
made.
Elisabeth comes to visit Charlotte and Mr. Collins and is also invited to
come to dine with Lady Catherine together with the newly married couple. On
this occasion she happens to meet Mr. Darcy again as he is visiting his aunt.
Elisabeth is inquired by Lady Catherine about her family and education. Lady
Catherine is surprised by Elisabeth giving her opinions very decidedly for such a
young person. Later Elisabeth is asked to play the piano by Lady Catherine which
she feels obliged to do despite her admitting to play rather poorly. Mr. Darcy
comes close to listen to her performance and starts a conversation. The following
day
Mr.
Darcy
surprises
Elisabeth
at
Mr.
Collin’s
house
and
appears
to
want
to
express something but is interrupted by Charlotte coming back home. Mr. Darcy
leaves abruptly.
Mr. Collins leads a mass during which Elisabeth has an opportunity to talk
to
Mr.
Darcy’s
friend
Fitzwilliam
who
claims
Mr.
Darcy
being
the
most
loyal
companion and as an example he mentions that Mr. Darcy has saved his closest
friend Mr. Bingley from an imprudent marriage recently. Elisabeth runs furiously
in the rain to hide in the pavilion, she does not notice that she is followed by Mr.
Darcy.
Ignoring
Elisabeth’s
current
state
of
mind he impatiently uncovers his
feelings to her and despite his better judgment and inferiority of her birth he
asks her to end his agony of the past months and marry him as he loves her.
Elisabeth still
hit
by
the
news
she
learnt
from
Mr.
Darcy’s
friend
refuses him
6
rather coldly pointing at his insulting her by judging the origin of her family. But
she has other reasons for her refusal which she declares directly into his face.
She could never marry a man who has probably forever ruined the happiness of
her most beloved sister. A fierce exchange of opinions finishes with Elisabeth
asking about Mr. Wickham and claiming that she knows about his misfortunes.
Mr. Darcy outbursts in anger as well realizing a bad opinion Elisabeth formed
about him and after Elisabeth claims that he is the last man she would ever be
prevailed upon to marry, he leaves. Elisabeth is in her room thinking, day passes
and night comes. She looks at herself in the mirror when Mr. Darcy appears
bringing
a
letter
for
her.
She
doesn’t
look
back at him and continues looking into
the mirror. In the letter, he
doesn’t
intend
to
renew
sentiments
which
were
so
disgusting to her but he would like to address the two offences lead against him.
When Elisabeth turns, Mr. Darcy is not there any more. She starts reading his
letter. He explains that his father loved Mr. Wickham as his son which is why he
left him a generous living. Mr. Wickham gambled it away within weeks and
demanded more money which he was refused. Later on he declared a passionate
love to Mr.
Darcy’s
sister
Georgiana
and
tried
to
persuade her to elope with him.
After it was made clear that he would never receive any money from her
inheritance, he disappeared. As for Jane Elisabeth learns that Mr. Darcy
considered Jane indifferent to his friend which lead him to advise Mr. Bingley
accordingly.
Elisabeth comes back home and meets Jane who has just arrived from
London.
Elisabeth’s
youngest
and
the
most
uneducated
and
wild
sister
Lydia
is
offered to visit her relatives in Brighton. Elisabeth tries to persuade her father
about not letting her go as it is too dangerous but he insists as he thinks it is a
7
way how to tame her and teach her of her own insignificance. Elisabeth is offered
to accompany her aunt and uncle to visit the Peak District and admire the
beauties of nature. Later she is shown sleeping and a transition to the Peak
District follows as if everything was happening in her dream.
She enjoys the wonderful view of the landscape and her hair and dress
are floating in the wind. As the travelers are
close
to
Mr.
Darcy’s
home
Pemberley, they decide to visit the house as it is open to visitors and known for
its arts collections. Elisabeth hesitates at first but then is overruled by curiosity.
The visitors are amazed by the collections of fine arts when taking a tour through
the
house,
Elisabeth’s
change
of
opinion
about
Mr.
Darcy
can
be perceived and
when they approach his statue, Elisabeth even admits he is a handsome man.
Elisabeth is left alone in the house and follows the sound of the piano,
it’s
Mr.
Darcy’s
sister
Georgiana
playing.
Elisabeth
listens
to
her, unseen. Suddenly Mr.
Darcy appears at the piano and surprises his sister who welcomes him warmly.
Mr. Darcy notices Elisabeth who runs away. However, Mr. Darcy stops her and an
awkward conversation follows. She thought he would come back from London
only the following day and apologizes for havening intruded. Mr. Darcy wants to
accompany her to the hotel but she prefers walking. When joining her aunt and
uncle again, Elisabeth learns that they are all invited to Pemberley to meet Mr.
Darcy and his sister Georgiana the following day. The meeting appears to be very
pleasant
and
Elisabeth’s
opinion
of
Mr.
Darcy
continues
changing
considerably.
On the return home, Elisabeth receives a letter from Jane with the most dreadful
news. Her youngest sister Lydia ran away with Mr. Wickham having no money
and no connections and it appears that she is lost forever and that all the
Bennet’s
daughters
are ruined by
their
sister’s behavior. Mr. Darcy claims he
8
should have exposed Mr. Wickham publicly to prevent this from happening and
Elisabeth blames herself for not being open to her sisters. Mr. Darcy declares his
wish to help and then leaves as the situation is grave.
A letter from London reaches the
Bennet’s
house
which
states
that
Lydia
is married to Mr. Wickham. Lydia arrives with her new husband and a family
dinner follows during which Lydia reveals to Elisabeth that it was Mr. Darcy who
found her and Mr. Wickham and it was also he who paid for the wedding. Mrs.
Bennet is happy to have a daughter married regardless of the man whom she
married.
The news arrives that Mr. Bingley is coming back to Netherfield. Soon
after his arrival, he
comes
unexpectedly
to
the
Bennet’s house together with Mr.
Darcy. As the situation is very awkward, he leaves right away. A cut to the lake
follows, where Mr. Bingley is shown practicing a marriage proposal with Mr.
Darcy. Mr. Bingley comes back and asks the privilege to talk to Jane alone in
order to propose her marriage. She accepts with tears in her eyes. Elisabeth is
sitting alone outside thinking, and Mr. Darcy leaves. The night comes. Various
rooms of the house and conversations are shown, Mrs. Bennet talking to Mr.
Bennet, Marry reading a book aloud, Jane talking to Elisabeth. Lady Catherine
visits the Bennets late at night and demands to talk alone with Elisabeth as a
matter of urgency. She declares that a report of an alarming nature has reached
her that Elisabeth intends to be united with her nephew Mr. Darcy. Lady
Catherine insults Elisabeth in various ways and when she asks her to promise
she would never enter in an engagement with Mr. Darcy, Elisabeth refuses and
asks Lady Catherine to leave.
9
The night conversation with Lady Catherine does not allow Elisabeth to
sleep which is why she heads for a walk early in the morning before the dawn.
The scenery reminds us of the beginning of the movie. Learning about Lady
Catherine talking to Elisabeth, Mr. Darcy allows himself a hope that Elisabeth’s
opinion of him might have changed and that her marriage refusal might not be
definite. As he cannot sleep either that night, he leaves his home early in the
morning as well. Elisabeth and Mr. Darcy meet in the countryside, Elisabeth
admits she should make amends revealing that she knows what he has done for
Lydia and probably for Jane also. Mr. Darcy claims that it was all for her and that
his affections and wishes to her have not changed but that one word from her
will silence him forever. He renews his marriage proposal which she accepts. The
sun is rising in a similar way as it was in the very beginning of the movie.
Mr. Darcy asks Mr. Bennet’s approval for the marriage. Elisabeth talks to
her father, who cannot believe her decision and considers her to be out of senses
because he thought she hated Mr. Darcy. Elisabeth explains all the circumstances
and the fact that she has misjudged him. Mr. Bennet gives his consent to the
marriage. The very last scene of the movie shows Mr. Darcy and Elisabeth at
Pemberley close to the lake at night after their marriage.
3. MUSIC OVERVIEW
As the movie is set at the end of the 18th century society and the classical
conception is kept, the music generally tries to evoke the atmosphere of the
given period. This happens mainly by employing the typical dance music of the
period for both balls that appear, as well as by using music that could have
10
potentially been heard in the streets at the given époque. This music is related
especially to the militia marching in the town. The dances and street music are
always an integral part of the story. Some of the piano pieces are reminiscent of
Beethoven’s
early
sonatas and play the role of an integral element of the story
too. The whole score finds its roots in the late classicist style. Nevertheless, the
music is allowed to abandon the historical correctness when needed to create a
more intimate atmosphere mainly in order to highlight states of minds of the
characters and their changes. The music has thus various functions in the movie:
evoking the spirit of the époque, depicting the inner world of the main character
and providing smooth and elegant transitions between scenes.
In terms of orchestration the main role is exclusively assigned to piano
which either appears as a solo instrument or accompanied by an ensemble of
instruments or orchestra. The piano can be perceived as an element which both
recalls the classical spirit of the given historic époque and brings an intimate
chamber atmosphere when needed. The piano thus represents a bridge between
the classical and contemporary worlds included in the score. Solo piano music
appears as an integral part of the story when characters are performing, either
practicing or for amusement of the society. When the piano is accompanied by
orchestra it is often reminiscent of classical piano concertos. The prominent use
of piano corresponds to the idea of finding the source of esthetics for the score in
the early Beethoven piano sonatas. Moreover, piano as a solo instrument or as a
part of an ensemble contributes to evoke the intimate atmosphere when needed.
Solo violin and violoncello also play an important role in the given scenes. A very
subtle balance in the use of the mentioned solo instruments and the orchestra is
noticeable. The size of the orchestra corresponds to the size of an orchestra of
11
Mozart’s
time
(2
flutes,
2
oboes,
2
clarinets,
2
bassoons,
2
horns,
2
trumpets,
Violins 1, Violins 2, Violas, Violoncellos, Double basses)4 and is complemented by
harp.
English Chamber Orchestra, accessed May 12, 2015,
http://www.englishchamberorchestra.co.uk/about/eco.
4
12
4. THEMES
My analysis will mainly be based on transcription of the soundtrack itself,
however some scores have tried to be found as reference materials but only a
couple of piano reductions were available.5 These scores were published for
commercial
purposes
and
don’t
follow
entirely
the original score so they were
only used as a reference.
In order to evoke the atmosphere of the historical period of the story
especially in terms of ball music, various dance music pieces are used
throughout the score. The themes and motives related to dance music are, in
most of the cases, used only once, each according to the occasion and type of the
dance. However, this chapter will focus mainly on non-dance music related
themes, their use in various situations, the architecture of their employment and
the overlapping and combining within their particular scenes.
x
Theme 1
Figure 1: Theme 1 (Dawn)
Dario Marianelli and David Hawkins, Dawn From Pride and Prejudice, Thunder Bay, Ont: David
Hawkins Music and Graphics, 2008; Dario Marianelli, Pride & prejudice: music from the motion
picture soundtrack, Milwaukee, WI : distributed by Hal Leonard, 2006.
5
13
Theme 1 (Dawn) is the opening theme of the film which sets the classical
mood of the movie right from the beginning as it reminds the listener of
Beethoven’s piano sonatas. The theme is used in 5 cues which are spread
throughout the score quite regularly. Cue 1 introduces the theme purely in piano
and
is
related
to
the
general
introduction
of
the
Bennet’s
family
and
the
main
character Elisabeth Bennet. The theme returns in piano, strings and winds in cue
3 to provide a transition between the scenes at the moment that the night
dialogue between Elisabeth and Jane ends. Music acts as an integral part of the
story in cue 16 when Elisabeth plays the theme on piano, as well as in cue 21 in
which Mr. Darcy’s
sister
Georgiana
performs
the
theme. The use of the theme at
the end of the movie in cue 27 provides the logical arc to the story: it reminds the
viewer of the sunrise and landscape at the very beginning of the movie as well as
of
the
Bennet’s
house
and the story setting in the first scene. The theme appears
only in piano similarly to the beginning.
x
Theme 2
Figure 2: Theme 2 (The Secret Life of Daydreams)
14
Theme 2 is the most frequently used one. It appears in different situations
and in contrasting contexts and moods. Compared to the other themes, theme 2
undergoes a variety of modifications according to the mood of the given scene in
terms of orchestration or tempo, sometimes it is even presented as a solo line of
one single instrument. The theme also provides the source of material to be
combined with other themes and thus creates an element giving unity to the
whole score. Theme 2 is used in 6 cues all together. It first appears in cue 4 in
piano in medium tempo as it accompanies Elisabeth walking to Netherfield to
see her ill sister. Cue 7 uses the theme in piano in faster tempo. It is
complemented by the random vocal line. The fast energetic piano version of the
theme nicely highlights the bustling and slight nervousness of preparation for
the ball at Netherfield. Music accompanying the arrival at the ball begins with the
same piano accompaniment as the one related to the theme 2 so the expectation
of appearance of the theme is created but then the music takes a different
direction. At the end of cue 13 theme 2 appears in slow motion as a melody of
clarinet solo. This combination evokes a nostalgic and calm mood corresponding
to the end of the ball and leaving for home in contrast to the festive energetic
music accompanying the arrival to the ball. Cue 15 brings the theme in slow
motion in piano and later in high strings which come in counterpoint to the
piano melody. The theme here evokes a nostalgic and thoughtful mood which
nicely underlines the flow of thoughts of the main character, the slow motion of
the swing and the passing time. In the second part of cue 19 (Elisabeth in
Derbyshire), theme 2 represents the leading characteristic melody of high
strings. The melody is thus given a new sense in terms of musical context as well
as storytelling by being set into a new harmony pattern and orchestration
15
context. The combination of the elements mentioned results, therefore, in
creating a unique dream-like fresh mood, highlighting the splendid view of the
landscape as well as the effect of the wind
on
Elisabeth’s
hair. We might expect
appearing
of
theme
2
as
the
main
melody
in
cue
26
(Mr.
Darcy’s
second
proposal) because the same music, harmony structure and orchestration as in
cue 19 is used. However, a different melody in high strings that is only specific
for this cue appears. Theme 2 dominates cue 28 which is the last cue of the
movie. It is introduced by high string solo line, later a counterpoint in strings
comes in which then smoothly results in the same harmony and orchestration
pattern as in cue 19 and 26 with the melody of the theme leading the passage.
Piano motion is not included in this cue which results in a more serene
atmosphere, yet remains dreamy, as in previous cues.
x
Theme 3
Figure 3: Theme 3 (Leaving Netherfield)
16
Theme 3 is a slow sad adagio which evokes a nostalgic mood related to
situations of leaving something the protagonists liked and
enjoyed.
It’s
only
used
in 2 consecutive cues – cue 13 (The ball at Netherfield) and cue 14 (Mr. Bingley
leaving). In cue 13 the serene theme 3 appears in strings and creates a contrast
with dance music of the ball. Music allows the audience to perceive the ball and
its end from a more distant perspective and creates thus a transition between
the very end of the ball and the moment of leaving. Theme 3 seamlessly leads
into theme 2 played by clarinet solo, which concludes the cue. Theme 3 appears
again in cue 14, which
accompanies
Mr.
Bingley’s
departure
from
Netherfield. In
contrast to the previous cue where the theme only appears in strings, this time
the theme gently spreads throughout the whole orchestra. Nonetheless, the
leading role belongs mainly to the piano.
x
Theme 4a
Figure
4:
Theme
4a
(Darcy’s
Letter,
fast
and
dramatic)
17
Theme 4a represents the most dramatic and strong musical element of
the score, which highlights the most tense scenes of the movie. It first appears in
the second half of the movie in cue 17 (Mr.
Darcy’s
First
Proposal) when
Elisabeth runs over the bridge in the rain to the Pavilion unknowingly followed
by Mr. Darcy. The theme underlines the physical motion as well as psychological
state of mind (anxiety) of the main character after learning about Mr. Darcy
separating Mr. Bingley from her sister Jane. It enters softly in clarinet and oboe
and later is taken by high strings accompanied by the rhythmic motion of the
orchestra. The
theme
appears
again
in
cue
23
(Learning
about
Lydia’s
running
away) where it accompanies the dramatic moment of sudden departure home
from home at the point of the trip to Derbyshire when they learn of Lydia’s
running away with Mr. Wickham. It depicts the danger of ruining the name of the
Bennet’s
family.
Similarly to cue 17, the theme highlights the physical motion of
the carriage on the way home together with anxiety of the characters provoked
by the dreadful news. The orchestration remains the same as in cue 17 except
from the line of violoncello solo, which represents the continuation of music of
theme 4b used under the dialogue between Elisabeth and Mr. Darcy before the
departure.
x
Theme 4b
Figure
5:
Theme
4b
(Darcy’s
Letter,
slow
and
thoughtful)
18
Theme 4b is a slow motion meditative modification of the material of
theme 4a. It’s
combined
with simple counter melody highlighted in blue in the
example Theme 4b. Similarly to theme 4b, it only appears in the second part of
the movie. It exclusively appears in connection with the relationship between
Elisabeth and Mr. Darcy. Cue 18 follows the most dramatic dialogue of the movie
and leads us consequently into a contemplative scene in which Elisabeth thinks
of
the
past
event
and
reads
Mr.
Darcy’s
letter
addressing
her
offences
against
him. The theme develops in piano, violoncello solo and strings. It’s
used
again
shortly in cue 23 to accompany the dialogue between Elisabeth and Mr. Darcy
after learning of Lydia running away. The theme is given obscure colors by being
set to violoncello solo and violoncello ensemble. It subsequently provides a
smooth transition to dramatic motion-like theme 4a and continues in
counterpoint to it in violoncello
solo.
Cue
26
(Mr.
Darcy’s
second
proposal)
is
a
combination of theme 4b and
theme
5.
Theme
4b
brings
Elisabeth’s
to
contemplative mood and then accompanies the dialogue between Elisabeth and
Mr. Darcy, which finally clears their relationship. The musical content
corresponds to the one used in cue 18 but subtle alternations in orchestration in
cue 26, mainly use of flute and harp, give the cue brighter character and highlight
morning serene mood.
19
x
Theme 5
Figure 6: above, Theme 5 (Liz on Top of the World); bellow, combination of
Theme 5 with Theme 2
Theme 5 is used in the most emotional scenes of the movie and only
appears in the very last part of the movie. The axis of the theme lies in the piano
although the sustained notes in lower strings and the brass supporting the
harmony together with the melody line in strings play an essential role as well.
The theme is first introduced in cue 19 where Elisabeth enjoys the nature of
Derbyshire and which gives an impression of unreality and dreaminess. Theme 5
20
is combined here with theme 2 which comes in as a melody in high strings.
Almost the same music in terms of structure and orchestration is used in cue 26,
however, the melody in high strings is slightly different than the one in cue 19.
As in cue 19, the moment seems to border between reality and a dream which
theme 5 perfectly evokes. Theme 5 in cue 26 stands as a middle part of the cue
where beginning and the end of the cue belong to theme 4b. The harmony
structure, orchestration and the atmosphere of the second part of cue 19 and 26
- except for the piano part - is used in the very last cue of the movie. Although
theme
5
doesn’t
appear explicitly in piano here as in previous cues, the harmony
and the melody evoke implicitly its presence.
x
Theme 6
Figure 7: Theme 6 (The Living Sculptures of Pemberley)
21
Theme 6 is serene and calm and is only used twice in the score. It first
appears in the second part of the movie as a new music material bringing
forward
Mr.
Darcy’s
positive character traits, which had been unrevealed
previously. The theme also accompanies
Elisabeth’s
changing
attitude
towards
Mr.
Darcy.
The
theme
is
used
in
Cue
20
(Mr.
Darcy’s
home), which accompanies
Elisabeth
visiting
Mr.
Darcy’s
home at Pemberley and showing the beauty of his
family’s
arts
collections.
The
theme is introduced in piano and then developed in
orchestra. A great variety of orchestral colors reminding the listener subtly of
Ravel’s
orchestrations are used. In cue 25 (Montage) the theme only appears in
piano
and
accompanies
a
montage
showing
the
Bennet’s
house
at
night.
x
Theme 7
Figure 8: Theme 7 (Georgiana playing the piano)
Theme 7 is reminiscent of
classical
Beethoven’s
sonatas and is used as an
integral part of the story when Mr.
Darcy’s
sister Georgiana performs the piece
on
piano
(Cue
22).
In
cue
24
(Mr.
Bingley’s
proposal)
the
theme
appears
in
piano
22
accompanied by the orchestra bringing to mind a classical piano concerto
accompanying
Mr.
Bingley’s
practicing
a
marriage proposal. Theme 7 only
appears in the second part of the movie similarly to theme 6.
An interesting element to observe is the way of spreading the thematic
material over the score. Theme 1 is spread throughout the score regularly.
Theme 2 is the most frequently used one and appears in various modifications,
orchestrations and in combination with other themes during the entire score: it
works as the main melody of the movie. Serene and nostalgic theme 3 is only
used in the first part of the movie. The new significant thematic material (theme
4 a and b) appears in the most dramatic moment of the movie and is only used in
the second part of the movie in analogically similar situations. Theme 5 brings a
new dreamy emotional music material to the second half of the movie and works
in combination with theme 2. Theme 6 also appears only in the second part of
the movie as well as theme 7.
Dance music and the themes used as an integral part of the movie evoke
the atmosphere of the époque whereas the other themes are developed in a way
that brings more intimacy to the score and thus the main storylines are
underlined.
23
5. CUES ANALYSIS
The individual cues will be analyzed according to the thematic material
used in relation to the mood and the story. The cues with similar thematic
material will be compared in terms of the story context and orchestration. A
special attention will be dedicated to transitions between the scenes. The cues
will be presented in the following way: cue (name), start and end of the music,
scene description and the dramatic context, theme used, orchestration.
Cue 1 (Introduction) 0:47 – 5:00
0:47 – 3:14
- Dawn. Birds are singing and the landscape is shown, the sun rises (similarly to
the scene at the end of the movie when Elisabeth and Mr. Darcy meet). Elizabeth
is shown walking and reading a book. Cut to the village and the Bennets house.
Music fades out and the dialogue that brings the story context follows. Music
comes back at the end of the cue and underlines the enthusiasm of the upcoming
ball.
- Theme 1 (Dawn) is introduced softly in piano and its nature is reminiscent of
Beethoven’s
sonatas. When the camera enters the house, the theme becomes
gradually richer. When the dialogue starts, music fades out through the chords
that provide less dense and intrusive structure allowing the dialogue to come
out.
24
4:27 – 5:00
- Theme 1 (Dawn) is coming back with the sentence “Are we coming to the
ball?
I
believe
so.” Music then flows until the end of the scene and blends directly
into the dance music of the following scene.
- The theme is only developed in piano throughout the whole cue.
Cue 2 (Ball) 5:00 – 13:27
- The ball at Meryton Townhall. People are dancing, the Bennet family is
introduced to Mr. Bingley, his sister and Mr. Darcy. Several dances of similar
characters alternate throughout the scene.
- Dance music 1 (Meryton Townhall) evokes the atmosphere of a public ball of
the end of the 18th century where the story is situated. Music is an integral part
of the story.
- Chamber orchestra (period instruments)
- The ball music is faded out using a very long reverb that evokes a flavor of a
dreamy memory of the ball when both sisters are shown talking in the bed about
the ball events before falling asleep.
Cue 3 (Dialogue in bed after the ball)
14:14 – 14:51
- Elisabeth and Jane talk about the ball events in bed. Music only enters at the
end of the scene when the dialogue finishes and thus provides an elegant
transition to the following scene.
- Theme 1 (Dawn) softly comes in when the dialogue ends and brings a
transition into the next morning scene. Music is used as a bridge between the
25
two scenes, the dialogue from the beginning of the following scene enters into
music, the music subtly finishes with the end of the musical phrase.
- The theme appears in piano, strings and winds.
Cue 4 (Elisabeth walking to Netherfield)
16:59 – 17:37
- Elisabeth walks to Netherfield to see her sister Jane.
- Theme 2 (The Secret Life of Daydreams). Music
starts
with
Elisabeth’s
sudden standing up when she decides to head for Netherfield. When the short
dialogue appears, we can only hear accompaniment without the melodic line.
Music ends with Mr. Darcy’s
abruptly and noisily standing up from his chair.
- The theme only appears in piano.
Cue 5 (Regiment)
19:10 - 19:57
- The regiment is coming to the town.
- Military music (The Militia Marches In) abruptly stops with the cut to the
following interior scene.
- Drums, whistles
Cue 6 (The city, regiment, meeting Mr. Wickham)
29:27 – 31:00
- The regiment is in the town of Meryton. The Bennet sisters walk to Meryton
and in this occasion they make the acquaintance of Mr. Wickham. There is a
violinist playing in the street.
26
- solo Violin melody evokes music that could have been heard in the street in
the given historical époque. It starts at the end of the previous scene. There are 3
dynamic levels of violin music in the scene. Full dynamics corresponds to being
in exterior with no dialogue. The dynamics is slightly lowered when the dialogue
starts as if the source (the violinist) was further away. When going into interior
(the shop) the dynamic level is lowered to minimum as the source is outside. The
violin line completely disappears with the cut to the Bennet sisters walking
home in the countryside accompanied by Mr. Wickham.
- Violin solo.
Cue 7 (Preparation for the Ball at Netherfield)
33:19 – 33:53
- The Bennet family is getting prepared for the Ball at Netherfield.
- Theme 2 (The Secret Life of Daydreams). Music starts at the end of the
previous scene when the dialogue ends with Elisabeth breathing. The following
scene opens. The tempo is faster and more impatient than in cue 4. The vocal line
appears together with piano. The line is sung by a servant in the Bennets’ house
and stands as an integral part of the story. Music fades out with the dialogue
between Elisabeth and Jane.
- The theme only appears in piano and is accompanied by the singing of a
servant.
Cue 8 (The Ball at Netherfield, Arrival)
34:14 – 35:11
- The guests arrive to the ball at Netherfield.
27
- Music of theme 2 appears very shortly at the end of the previous scene, and
creates a transition into the following scene. When the camera shows the coming
guests, material of theme 2 transforms into another music (Arrival at
Netherfield) with a strong reminiscent of a classical piano concerto of
Beethoven’s era. Its character underlines nicely the festive atmosphere of the
upcoming event. Music fades out slowly when getting into the interior.
- Piano accompanied by the chamber orchestra.
Cue 9 and 10 (The Ball at Netherfield, Dance music)
35:33 - 38:18
- Elisabeth is looking for Mr. Wickham but Mr. Collins asks her for dance. She
accepts.
- Dance music 2 and 3 has the character of English dances that could have been
heard in the époque the story is set to. Music ends sharply with Elisabeth and
Charlotte leaving the dance laughing.
- Chamber orchestra, period instruments.
Cue 11 (The Ball at Netherfield, Dance music)
38:52 – 41:25
- Elisabeth dances with Mr. Darcy, the conversation is getting more and more
tense towards the end of the dance when it tackles Mr. Wickham.
- Dance music 4 (Sarabande, A Postcard to Henry Purcell) starts with solo
violin accompanying the conversation while the couple is dancing. Very soft
entrances of high strings are to be noticed, which accompany the solo violin
especially during the pauses in conversation. The detail of high string entrances
28
adds a dreamy and more distant dimension to the whole scene at certain
moments. When the conversation ends, solo violoncello enters in counterpoint to
the violin melody and strings enter in a more decisive way. Music thus assumes a
dominant role and takes the viewer to a dreamy distant view of the scene. This
effect nicely underlines the fact that the conversation is over and both characters
are left with their own thoughts separate from each other. The Sarabande is built
on the theme by Henry Purcell that brings us back in time to the given historical
époque but the way Marianelli works with strings and violoncello counterpoint
gives the whole cue contemporary character and more intimacy.
- The cue keeps the soft mood of solo violin, violoncello and strings.
Cue 12 (The Ball at Netherfield, Dance music)
42:38 – 44:21
- Diverse events and conversations happening at the ball.
- Dance music 5 evokes the mood of English dances related to the period of the
story. The dance ends by fading directly into the following adagio music.
- Chamber orchestra, period instruments.
Cue 13 (The Ball at Netherfield, The end of the ball and leaving)
- 44:21 – 45:37
- The very end of the ball. Mrs. Bennet is already counting on Jane marrying Mr.
Bingley, Mr. Collins is looking for Elisabeth, disappointed Mary is crying,
Elisabeth is alone hiding from the bustling of the ball.
- The previous dance directly fades into a slow thoughtful adagio theme 3
(Leaving Netherfield) that leads towards the end of the ball scene and creates a
29
more distant dreamy view of the events. The adagio theme is transformed into
the melody of the theme 2 (The Secret Life of Daydreams) featuring a
nostalgic clarinet solo in slow tempo. The solo brings the cue towards the end.
- Strings, solo clarinet.
Cue 14 (Mr. Bingley leaving)
51:49 – 52:45
- The letter arrives announcing that Mr. Bingley is leaving Netherfield. We can
see him and his companions leaving Netherfield and servants closing the house.
- The nostalgic adagio theme 3 (Leaving Netherfield) enters with sad
Jane’s
face and creates a transition to the
following
scene
depicting
Mr.
Bingley’s
departure. The music evokes the mood of a romantic piano concerto of
Chopin’s
character.
- Piano accompanied by orchestra and harp. Melody alternates softly between
piano, oboe, clarinet and strings.
Cue 15 (After Charlotte telling Elisabeth she is engaged, swing)
55:48 – 57:36
- Charlotte comes to announce Elisabeth that she is engaged to Mr. Collins. After
a tense talk Elisabeth is shown sitting on the swing drowned in her thoughts. The
swing turns around slowly and gives the notion of passing time. At the end of the
cue the camera shows Charlotte’s
new
house, where Elisabeth has come to visit
her.
- Theme 2 (The Secret Life of Daydreams) enters in slow tempo with the cut to
Elisabeth’s
surprised
face. The speed of music corresponds to the slow motion of
30
the swing turning around, the flow
of
Elisabeth’s
thoughts
and
to
passing
time.
Music transports in time and serves also as a bridge between the scenes.
- The theme enters in piano but later violins bring the theme again in
counterpoint to the continuing piano line. The music slowly fades out with the
dialogue.
Cue 16 (Visiting Lady Catherine)
1:03:13 – 1:05:14
- Lady Catherine asks Elisabeth to play the piano. Mr. Darcy comes to listen
closer to her performance.
- Theme 1 (Dawn) is performed by Elisabeth on piano. The quality of her
performance corresponds to her abilities. Music is an integral part of the story. It
fades out slowly into the following scene providing a soft bridge between the
scenes.
- Piano.
Cue
17
(Mr.
Darcy’s
First
Proposal)
1:08:10 – 1:08:41
- After a church mass where Elisabeth learns about Mr. Darcy separating Jane
and Mr. Bingley, she runs in agony over the bridge to the Pavilion despite the
rain. Mr. Darcy follows her intending to propose her marriage. An argument
between them follows.
- Theme 4a (Darcy’s
Letter)
comes as a new strong thematic material. It is
characteristic by its dramatic form and fast tempo and it highlights the most
dramatic and tense moment of the movie.
31
- The theme is introduced by soft but dramatic alternating between clarinet and
oboe at the moment when Elisabeth realizes it was Mr. Darcy who separated
Jane from Mr. Bingley. With
Mr.
Darcy’s
sudden
look
at
Elisabeth
the
theme is
taken by strings and spreads throughout the orchestra to provide an engine
while Elisabeth runs over the bridge. The music thus expresses physical motion
together with inner disharmony and excitement of the main character. Music
ends
with
Elisabeth’s
surprised
reaction when she notices Mr. Darcy standing
close to her.
Cue 18 (Elisabeth
reads
Mr.
Darcy’s
letter)
- 1:12:34 – 1:15:52
- Elisabeth is shown thinking about the past events. The whole day passes. In the
evening Mr. Darcy comes to leave a letter for Elisabeth explaining the addressed
misunderstandings. She starts reading it.
- Theme 4b (Darcy’s
Letter)
is a slow meditative adagio in contrast to its
dramatic modification used in the previous cue. Music starts at the end of the
previous scene showing Elisabeth in the pavilion from distance at the moment
she leans on the wall. It creates a connection to the following contemplative
scene. The atmosphere is mostly gloomy with some sparkles of hope. The music
stops at once when Charlotte appears.
- The melody is lead by piano and solo violoncello. Then strings section softly
enters supporting the harmony with its entrances. Subtle play with harmony
tension enhanced by orchestration and play with silence are to be noticed in the
cue.
32
Cue 19 (Elisabeth in Derbyshire)
1:19:20 – 1:20:31
- Beautiful dreamy transition
from
Elisabeth’s bedroom to the nature of
Derbyshire. Elisabeth appears on the top of the hill in the wind, it is not clear
whether it happens
only
in
Elisabeth’s
dream
or whether it is already part of the
trip to Derbyshire with her aunt and uncle.
- Theme 5 (Liz on Top of The World) combined with Theme 2 (The Secret
Life of Daydreams). Music provides an elegant transition between two scenes
and different environments. Theme 5 in piano comes after Elisabeth blows out
the candle. Music evokes a dream-like mood depicting nicely the scenery. Melody
of theme 2 in higher strings joins the piano after a harp pick up at the moment
when the view of landscape appears.
- Theme 5 is set to piano while the melody of theme 2 is set to strings. Harp
arpeggios amplify the splendor of the view. Harmony, highlighted by lower
strings and soft brass sound, is an important element in mood creation of the
scene.
Cue 20 (Mr.
Darcy’s
home)
1:22:00 – 1:24:59
- Elisabeth
visits
Mr.
Darcy’s
house
(Pemberley)
with
her
aunt
and
uncle. She is
amazed by collections of paintings and statues in the house as well as by Mr.
Darcy’s
statue.
The
dialogue
points
on
Mr.
Darcy’s
good
features.
We
can
feel
Elisabeth’s
change
of
attitude
towards
Mr.
Darcy.
- Theme 6 (The Living Sculptures of Pemberley) evokes a serene, calm
atmosphere bringing positive mood. Music starts with Elisabeth appearing in the
33
hallway and underlines Elisabeth’s
changing attitude towards Mr. Darcy as well
as the beauty of the collections in the house.
- The cue is rich in various orchestral colors that highlight the tasteful richness
of the collection of the house of Pemberley. The theme travels throughout variety
of instruments: piano, strings, woodwinds, horns, harp. The soft pulse of the
cue alternates between piano and harp. The cue evokes some of Ravel’s
works
by
its mood and use of orchestral colors. At the moment of dialogue the
orchestration is reduced to soft high strings.
Cue 21 (Georgiana playing the piano)
1:25:08 – 1:25:08
- Elisabeth can hear someone
playing
the
piano.
It’s
Georgiana
Darcy.
Elisabeth
silently listens to her performance. Suddenly Mr. Darcy unexpectedly appears
and surprises his sister who welcomes him joyfully. Elisabeth is watching them
when Mr. Darcy notices her presence.
- Theme 1 (Dawn) which Elisabeth performed in Mrs. Catherine’s
house
is
now
performed by Georgiana. Music is thus the integral part of the story. When
Georgiana notices the presence of her brother, she stops playing and music ends.
- Piano.
Cue 22 (Georgiana playing the piano)
1:28:57 – 1:29:24
- Georgiana plays the piano and Mr. Darcy listens to her performance while
waiting for the visitors. Elisabeth enters the room with her aunt and uncle.
34
- Theme 7 (Georgiana) is performed on piano by Georgiana. Music evokes a
mood of a classical piano sonata and brings thus to the given époque. Music is
integral part of the story as well. When Georgiana notices the guests, she stops
playing and welcomes them, music ends.
- Piano.
Cue 23 (Learning
about
Lydia’s
running away)
1:31:41 – 1:32:43
- Elisabeth reads a letter from Jane and learns about Lydia running away with
Mr. Wickham. She explains crying what happened to her aunt and uncle and to
Mr. Darcy. The situation is grave, Mr. Darcy leaves, Elisabeth returns home with
her aunt and uncle.
- Theme 4a and 4b
(Darcy’s
Letter). The slow and gloomy theme 4b is
combined with its dramatic fast motion form 4a and is thus able to depict both –
the seriousness and sadness of the situation together with a dramatic moment of
necessity to solve the situation. The theme can also be associated with physical
motion. Music provides a transition between scenes leading from the hotel in
Derbyshire back home
to
the
Bennets’
house.
- Theme 4b is brought in by a violoncello solo, then a violoncello ensemble
repeats the same melody in counterpoint to the continuing violoncello solo
melodic line. The tempo is slow and the atmosphere evoked is gloomy, which
supports the story well. With Mr. Darcy leaving the room, the dramatic fast
motion theme 4a is brought in by clarinet and oboe similarly to cue 17. With
the cut to the carriage moving at night the motion theme is taken by strings and
music is spread into the whole orchestra. Slow solo violoncello line from the
35
beginning of the cue continues in counterpoint to the main dramatic melody
until the end of the cue.
Cue 24 (Mr.
Bingley’s
proposal)
1:42:33 – 1:43:17
- Mr. Bingley comes
to
the
Bennets’ house with the intention to propose marriage
to Jane. He practices the way of how to approach the task at the lake with Mr.
Darcy.
- Theme 7 (Georgiana) which
we
could
first
hear
performed
by
Mr.
Darcy’s
sister Georgiana on piano brings a lighter atmosphere and suggests the positive
development of successive events.
- The theme appears in piano accompanied by the orchestra. Music evokes the
atmosphere of a classical piano concerto.
Cue 25 (Montage)
1:45:37 – 1:47:48
- Elisabeth sits alone outside the house drowned in her thoughts, Mr. Darcy
leaves.
Later
the
Bennets’ house is shown at night: Mr. and Mrs. Bennet are
talking, Mary is reading a book aloud, the servant is singing, Jane is enjoying her
happiness talking to Elisabeth.
- Theme 6 (The Living Statues of Pemberley) comes in with the cut to
Elisabeth shown sitting under the tree. Music creates an intimate atmosphere
and fits the scene of montage-like character.
It
ends
gradually
with
Jane’ and
Elisabeth’s
dialogue.
- The theme is only developed in piano, short singing of a servant.
36
Cue
26
(Mr.
Darcy’s
second
proposal)
1:51:48 – 1:56:56
- Elisabeth cannot sleep because of an unexpected visit of lady Catherine and her
argument with her. Therefore she goes walking early in the morning before the
sunrise. A silhouette appears far away in the fog, it is Mr. Darcy who also could
not sleep having learnt about the visit of lady Catherine. The two of them meet
and reveal their feelings to each other. Elisabeth accepts Mr. Darcy’s
hand.
- Theme 4b (Darcy’s
letter), theme 5 (Liz on Top of The World), theme 4b
(Darcy’s
letter). Slow motion meditative theme 4b starts slightly before the cut
to Elisabeth drowned into her thoughts walking in the dark before the sunrise.
When she notices Mr. Darcy walking towards her, dreamy theme 5 takes the
main role. This reminds us of Elisabeth standing on the top of the hill in
Derbyshire as if everything was happening in a dream. When the dialogue starts,
the dreamy theme gradually ends, a tiny moment of silence giving a slight
tension in conversation follows and the slow theme 4b comes back
accompanying the dialogue. At the end of the scene theme 4b is directly
transformed into the theme 1 to provide a bridge to the following scene.
- Theme 4b is brought by harp, strings and flute, then it spreads slowly into the
orchestra. The orchestration with melody in flute and a soft pulse in harp is
brighter than the one in
Darcy’s
letter scene. Theme 5 is brought by piano, high
strings bring melody, which flies above the pulse of piano and harp glissandos.
Harmony is supported by lower strings and brass, which give special power to
the music. Theme 4b is brought back by harp, soft entrances of strings and
flute melody, which is doubled by violoncello solo at the moment when Mr.
37
Darcy steps closer to Elisabeth. The music ends with strings harmony and a
piano taking the role.
Cue
27
(Mr.
Bennet’s
approval)
1:55:55 – 1:56:35, 1:59:23 – 2:00:02
- Mr. Darcy comes to ask Mr. Bennet for Elisabeth’s
hand.
Then discussion
between Elisabeth and her father follows.
- Theme 1 (Dawn) is brought by piano at the end of the previous scene. Music
thus creates an arch that brings the viewer back to the beginning of the movie.
The cue is ended by a long note in high strings that provides a transition to the
following scene.
- Piano, Orchestra.
Cue 28 (At Pemberley)
2:00:02 – 2:01:48
- Mr. Darcy and Elisabeth are sitting together close to the lake at Pemberley.
- Theme 2 (The Secret Life of Daydreams) and theme 5 (Liz on Top of the
World).
- Theme 2 is brought by high strings at the end of the previous scene. Then
lower strings enter in counterpoint to the main melody. The harmony scheme of
cue 26 is used with low strings and brass, including harp glissandos and
excluding the piano.
38
6. CONCLUSION
The
film
director
Joe
Wright
based
his
movie
on
Jane
Austin’s
novel Pride
and Prejudice. He managed to keep the classical touch of the story while being
able to bring the characters and their emotions closer to present day public.
Dario
Marianelli’s
music
for
Pride
and
Prejudice
fulfills the demands to create a
classical score underlining the spirit of the given époque but at the same time it
doesn’t
lack
the
intimacy
needed for depicting the emotions and inner
perception of main characters.
An important element helping to achieve this unique symbiosis is the
piano, which functions as means of evoking the classical époque in which the
story is set as well as means of giving the score more intimacy. Dance music and
street music together with solo piano pieces, which are used as integral parts of
the story, evoke persuasively the atmosphere of the given époque. Some of piano
solo
entrances
remind
us
of
Beethoven’s
classical
sonatas which corresponds to
the original idea of finding the source of esthetics for the score in the early
Beethoven’s piano sonatas.
Themes 2-6 present the material derived from
classical musical language but modified in a way to reach the intimate
atmosphere necessary for depicting the story itself. Solo violin and violoncello
play often an important role in supporting the intimate impact of the score.
Last but not least, subtle details applied in the score on various levels
including orchestration, work with scene transitions and use of themes
contribute to giving the score unity and maximize emotional impact. The score
can be considered a great example of marrying the tradition with needs for
contemporary expression.
39
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Air
Edel.
“Dario
Marianelli.” Accessed May 10, 2015. http://www.airedel.co.uk/representation/composers/6/dario-marianelli/.
English Chamber Orchestra. Accessed May 12, 2015.
http://www.englishchamberorchestra.co.uk/about/eco.
Goldwasser, Dan. “[Interview
with
Dario
Marianelli].” Soundtrack.net. Last
modified 2006. Accessed May 10, 2015.
http://www.soundtrack.net/content/article/?id=187.
IMDb. “Pride
and
Prejudice
(2005).”
Accessed May 11, 2015.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0414387/.
Marianelli, Dario. Pride & prejudice: music from the motion picture soundtrack.
Milwaukee, WI: distributed by Hal Leonard, 2006.
Marianelli, Dario, and David Hawkins. Dawn From Pride and Prejudice. Thunder
Bay, Ont: David Hawkins Music and Graphics], 2008.
Ruhlmann, William. “AllMusic Review.” Allmusic.com. Accessed May 10, 2015.
http://www.allmusic.com/album/pride-prejudice-original-scoremw0000704072.
40
Musical Treatment of the Classical Literature Story
Preserving the Spirit of The Historical Époque While
Reaching a Contemporary Flavor to Touch Present Day
Audiences
Zuzana Michlerová
Master of Music in Scoring for Film, Television and Videogames Candidate
Berklee College of Music-Valencia Campus
July 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. DARIO MARIANELLI AND PRIDE AND PREJUDICE INTRODUCTION
1
2. PLOT SUMMARY
3
3. MUSIC OVERVIEW
10
4. THEMES
13
5. CUES ANALYSIS
24
6. CONCLUSION
39
BIBLIOGRAPHY
40
ii
1. DARIO MARIANELLI AND PRIDE AND PREJUDICE INTRODUCTION
The award winning Italian composer Dario Marianelli has worked with
the prominent British director Joe Wright on four films so far. The movie Pride
and Prejudice was released in 2005 and its music received an Oscar nomination
in the Best Original Score category. Besides Pride and Prejudice the collaboration
between Dario Marianelli and Joe Wright also includes notable movies as Anna
Karenina, Atonement and The Soloist. For Atonement Dario Marianelli was
awarded the Oscar, Golden Globe and Ivor Novello Award in the Best Original
Score category.1
The story of Pride and Prejudice is
based
on
Jane
Austin’s 1813 novel
which leads the viewer back to the late 18 century society. In relation to this fact
and classical conception of the movie Beethoven’s
early
piano
sonatas
became
a
point of reference for the score to Pride and Prejudice. Nevertheless, Dario
Marianelli abandons historical correctness for a more intimate and emotional
treatment of the story when needed. The spirit of the historical époque is thus
preserved while a contemporary flavor intended to touch present day audiences
is pursued. The architecture of the score and the employment of themes and
their character will be analyzed in the following text. This will bring a closer
insight of how Dario Marianelli uses classical musical material while giving it a
contemporary character when desirable.
1
Air
Edel,
“Dario
Marianelli,” accessed May 10, 2015, http://www.airedel.co.uk/representation/composers/6/dario-marianelli/.
1
The score was recorded by pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the English
Chamber Orchestra.2 The main characters of the movie are portrayed by Keira
Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen, and the script was written by Deborah
Moggach.3
A subtle work with details is a noticeable feature of Marianelli’s
score.
Therefore a special attention to details in terms of orchestration, scene
transitions and use of themes will be given in the music analysis chapters.
Numbering and naming of the cues and themes was designed to demonstrate the
structure of the score in the clearest way possible.
Dan
Goldwasser,
“[Interview
with
Dario
Marianelli],”
soundtrack.net, last modified 2006,
accessed May 10, 2015, http://www.soundtrack.net/content/article/?id=187;
for review of the music check William Ruhlmann, “AllMusic Review”, allmusic.com, accessed May
10, 2015, http://www.allmusic.com/album/pride-prejudice-original-score-mw0000704072.
3 IMDb,
“Pride
and
Prejudice
(2005),”
accessed
May
11,
2015,
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0414387/.
2
2
2. PLOT SUMMARY
The movie opens with the scenery of the countryside at dawn, later the
main female character Elisabeth Bennet is shown reading a book while walking
on her way home. The camera walks the viewer slowly through the house and
the conversation of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet can be overheard talking about a young
wealthy man (Mr. Bingley) buying the neighboring Netherfield Park Estate. As all
five Bennets daughters are unmarried, Mrs. Bennet perceives this event as an
occasion to have one daughter married tackling the general true expressed in
Jane
Austin’s
novel:
“It
is
a
truth
universally acknowledged that a single man in
possession of a good fortune must
be
in
want
of
a
wife”. When opening the door
Mr. Bennet discovers all five daughters listening to the conversation. As the
curiosity about Mr. Bingley and desire to be introduced to him raises, Mr. Bennet
reveals that he has already talked to him and confirms the participation of the
family in the upcoming ball organized to welcome Mr. Bingley’s
arrival
to
town.
The following part brings us to the 18th century public ball. People are in
the middle of a party when the music suddenly stops and new coming guests,
who are obviously representatives of the higher society, enter the ball room.
It’s
Mr. Bingley with his sister Caroline and his close friend Mr. Darcy who appears
to be closed and unsympathetic at first glance compared to agreeable and
smiling Mr. Bingley. We
learn
about
Mr.
Darcy’s
being
a very wealthy man as is
informed by Elisabeth’s
close friend Charlotte. Typical ball music of the given
period starts again and the amusement continues. Mrs.
Bennet
doesn’t
hesitate
to introduce her daughters to the new guests and a delightful conversation
between Jane Bennet (the eldest Bennets daughter and the closest one to
3
Elisabeth) and Mr. Bingley develops. The sympathy between the two young
people is noticeable as Mr. Bingley also admits to his friend Mr. Darcy later on. A
less delightful conversation develops between Elisabeth and Mr. Darcy, who
refuses to dance even though not a single lady is sitting down. Mr. Darcy
considers Elisabeth barely tolerable and not handsome enough to tempt him.
Nevertheless,
Elisabeth’s
wit
and
elegant
way
of
expressing
her
opinion
strikes
Mr. Darcy at the end of the ball.
Elisabeth and Jane are talking about
the
ball
and
Mr.
Bingley’s
attachment
to Jane before falling asleep. A soft
transition
to
the
Bennet’s
house in the
morning follows. A
letter
arrives
while
the
Bennet’s
family
is
having
their
breakfast, Jane
is
invited
to
come
to
dine
with
Mr.
Bingley’s
sister
Caroline
while
Mr. Bingley would dine out. As Mrs. Bennet wants Jane to meet Mr. Bingley again,
she sends her to Netherfield on the horseback although
it’s
very
possible that it
is going to rain which will strategically prevent Jane from coming back home the
same evening. Jane arrives at Netherfield totally soaked and stays ill there.
Elisabeth decides to walk to visit her sister and stays with her at Netherfield too.
This occasion gives an opportunity for Mr. Darcy to better picture Elisabeth’s
character and wit through conversations lead during her stay in the house.
Mr. Collins, a clergyman who is given a parsonage to administer by Mr.
Darcy’s
aunt
Lady
Catherine, comes to visit the Bennet’s
family with the clear
purpose of choosing a wife. Nevertheless, he is a rather awkward and ridiculous
person hiding behind the wisdom of literature and study.
The
Bennet’s
sisters
walk
to
town
where
they
make
a
new
acquaintance
with Mr. Wickham who is a soldier in a regiment residing currently in the town.
When meeting Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy on the way back, it is obvious that
4
there is a tension between Mr. Wickham and Mr. Darcy. Mr. Wickham being
connected
to
Mr.
Darcy’s
family
since
infancy
claims that Mr. Darcy denied to
give him a rectory which he should have inherited according to the will of Mr.
Darcy’s
father. This fact should have made him become a poor soldier. Elisabeth
believes him as he is a persuasive narrator and her interest in him becomes
noticeable.
The Bennets prepare themselves for the ball. A splendid arrival of guests
to the ball follows. Mr. Bingley and his sister Caroline welcome the guests,
Elisabeth searches for Mr. Wickham and learns that he is not coming to the ball.
Mr. Collins who intends to propose Elisabeth marriage asks her for a dance, and
she is even more surprised when Mr. Darcy asks her to dance with him. An
invigorating sarabande is played for their dance. Elisabeth teases Mr. Darcy on
his lack of conversation skills and advises him on possible topics of conversation.
Their talk also tackles Mr. Wickham and thus becomes more and more tense. Mr.
Darcy hopes to afford Elisabeth more clarity on this matter in the future. Their
conversation ends and music takes over the scene as if we were suddenly
watching the couple from distance. They both leave the dance tense. The other
scenes show Jane and Mr. Bingley happy together, Mrs. Bennet expecting soon
the marriage proposal, Charlotte talking to Elisabeth and the bustling of the ball.
Mr. Collins demands a private audience with Elisabeth in order to make
her a marriage proposal. She refuses him supported by his father. Right after,
Elisabeth finds Jane crying with a letter from Caroline Bingley in her hands. Mr.
Bingley leaves Netherfield suddenly. Jane leaves for London to visit her uncle and
aunt with the hope of meeting Mr. Bingley there. Charlotte comes to see
Elisabeth to tell her news about her being engaged to Mr. Collins, Elisabeth
5
cannot understand her choice as she considers Mr. Collins ridiculous. Charlotte
explains her motives of her being burden to her parents at her age and not
having any other prospects and asks not to be judged. Elisabeth stays alone on
the swing thinking, the time passes and a transition to
Charlotte’s
new
home is
made.
Elisabeth comes to visit Charlotte and Mr. Collins and is also invited to
come to dine with Lady Catherine together with the newly married couple. On
this occasion she happens to meet Mr. Darcy again as he is visiting his aunt.
Elisabeth is inquired by Lady Catherine about her family and education. Lady
Catherine is surprised by Elisabeth giving her opinions very decidedly for such a
young person. Later Elisabeth is asked to play the piano by Lady Catherine which
she feels obliged to do despite her admitting to play rather poorly. Mr. Darcy
comes close to listen to her performance and starts a conversation. The following
day
Mr.
Darcy
surprises
Elisabeth
at
Mr.
Collin’s
house
and
appears
to
want
to
express something but is interrupted by Charlotte coming back home. Mr. Darcy
leaves abruptly.
Mr. Collins leads a mass during which Elisabeth has an opportunity to talk
to
Mr.
Darcy’s
friend
Fitzwilliam
who
claims
Mr.
Darcy
being
the
most
loyal
companion and as an example he mentions that Mr. Darcy has saved his closest
friend Mr. Bingley from an imprudent marriage recently. Elisabeth runs furiously
in the rain to hide in the pavilion, she does not notice that she is followed by Mr.
Darcy.
Ignoring
Elisabeth’s
current
state
of
mind he impatiently uncovers his
feelings to her and despite his better judgment and inferiority of her birth he
asks her to end his agony of the past months and marry him as he loves her.
Elisabeth still
hit
by
the
news
she
learnt
from
Mr.
Darcy’s
friend
refuses him
6
rather coldly pointing at his insulting her by judging the origin of her family. But
she has other reasons for her refusal which she declares directly into his face.
She could never marry a man who has probably forever ruined the happiness of
her most beloved sister. A fierce exchange of opinions finishes with Elisabeth
asking about Mr. Wickham and claiming that she knows about his misfortunes.
Mr. Darcy outbursts in anger as well realizing a bad opinion Elisabeth formed
about him and after Elisabeth claims that he is the last man she would ever be
prevailed upon to marry, he leaves. Elisabeth is in her room thinking, day passes
and night comes. She looks at herself in the mirror when Mr. Darcy appears
bringing
a
letter
for
her.
She
doesn’t
look
back at him and continues looking into
the mirror. In the letter, he
doesn’t
intend
to
renew
sentiments
which
were
so
disgusting to her but he would like to address the two offences lead against him.
When Elisabeth turns, Mr. Darcy is not there any more. She starts reading his
letter. He explains that his father loved Mr. Wickham as his son which is why he
left him a generous living. Mr. Wickham gambled it away within weeks and
demanded more money which he was refused. Later on he declared a passionate
love to Mr.
Darcy’s
sister
Georgiana
and
tried
to
persuade her to elope with him.
After it was made clear that he would never receive any money from her
inheritance, he disappeared. As for Jane Elisabeth learns that Mr. Darcy
considered Jane indifferent to his friend which lead him to advise Mr. Bingley
accordingly.
Elisabeth comes back home and meets Jane who has just arrived from
London.
Elisabeth’s
youngest
and
the
most
uneducated
and
wild
sister
Lydia
is
offered to visit her relatives in Brighton. Elisabeth tries to persuade her father
about not letting her go as it is too dangerous but he insists as he thinks it is a
7
way how to tame her and teach her of her own insignificance. Elisabeth is offered
to accompany her aunt and uncle to visit the Peak District and admire the
beauties of nature. Later she is shown sleeping and a transition to the Peak
District follows as if everything was happening in her dream.
She enjoys the wonderful view of the landscape and her hair and dress
are floating in the wind. As the travelers are
close
to
Mr.
Darcy’s
home
Pemberley, they decide to visit the house as it is open to visitors and known for
its arts collections. Elisabeth hesitates at first but then is overruled by curiosity.
The visitors are amazed by the collections of fine arts when taking a tour through
the
house,
Elisabeth’s
change
of
opinion
about
Mr.
Darcy
can
be perceived and
when they approach his statue, Elisabeth even admits he is a handsome man.
Elisabeth is left alone in the house and follows the sound of the piano,
it’s
Mr.
Darcy’s
sister
Georgiana
playing.
Elisabeth
listens
to
her, unseen. Suddenly Mr.
Darcy appears at the piano and surprises his sister who welcomes him warmly.
Mr. Darcy notices Elisabeth who runs away. However, Mr. Darcy stops her and an
awkward conversation follows. She thought he would come back from London
only the following day and apologizes for havening intruded. Mr. Darcy wants to
accompany her to the hotel but she prefers walking. When joining her aunt and
uncle again, Elisabeth learns that they are all invited to Pemberley to meet Mr.
Darcy and his sister Georgiana the following day. The meeting appears to be very
pleasant
and
Elisabeth’s
opinion
of
Mr.
Darcy
continues
changing
considerably.
On the return home, Elisabeth receives a letter from Jane with the most dreadful
news. Her youngest sister Lydia ran away with Mr. Wickham having no money
and no connections and it appears that she is lost forever and that all the
Bennet’s
daughters
are ruined by
their
sister’s behavior. Mr. Darcy claims he
8
should have exposed Mr. Wickham publicly to prevent this from happening and
Elisabeth blames herself for not being open to her sisters. Mr. Darcy declares his
wish to help and then leaves as the situation is grave.
A letter from London reaches the
Bennet’s
house
which
states
that
Lydia
is married to Mr. Wickham. Lydia arrives with her new husband and a family
dinner follows during which Lydia reveals to Elisabeth that it was Mr. Darcy who
found her and Mr. Wickham and it was also he who paid for the wedding. Mrs.
Bennet is happy to have a daughter married regardless of the man whom she
married.
The news arrives that Mr. Bingley is coming back to Netherfield. Soon
after his arrival, he
comes
unexpectedly
to
the
Bennet’s house together with Mr.
Darcy. As the situation is very awkward, he leaves right away. A cut to the lake
follows, where Mr. Bingley is shown practicing a marriage proposal with Mr.
Darcy. Mr. Bingley comes back and asks the privilege to talk to Jane alone in
order to propose her marriage. She accepts with tears in her eyes. Elisabeth is
sitting alone outside thinking, and Mr. Darcy leaves. The night comes. Various
rooms of the house and conversations are shown, Mrs. Bennet talking to Mr.
Bennet, Marry reading a book aloud, Jane talking to Elisabeth. Lady Catherine
visits the Bennets late at night and demands to talk alone with Elisabeth as a
matter of urgency. She declares that a report of an alarming nature has reached
her that Elisabeth intends to be united with her nephew Mr. Darcy. Lady
Catherine insults Elisabeth in various ways and when she asks her to promise
she would never enter in an engagement with Mr. Darcy, Elisabeth refuses and
asks Lady Catherine to leave.
9
The night conversation with Lady Catherine does not allow Elisabeth to
sleep which is why she heads for a walk early in the morning before the dawn.
The scenery reminds us of the beginning of the movie. Learning about Lady
Catherine talking to Elisabeth, Mr. Darcy allows himself a hope that Elisabeth’s
opinion of him might have changed and that her marriage refusal might not be
definite. As he cannot sleep either that night, he leaves his home early in the
morning as well. Elisabeth and Mr. Darcy meet in the countryside, Elisabeth
admits she should make amends revealing that she knows what he has done for
Lydia and probably for Jane also. Mr. Darcy claims that it was all for her and that
his affections and wishes to her have not changed but that one word from her
will silence him forever. He renews his marriage proposal which she accepts. The
sun is rising in a similar way as it was in the very beginning of the movie.
Mr. Darcy asks Mr. Bennet’s approval for the marriage. Elisabeth talks to
her father, who cannot believe her decision and considers her to be out of senses
because he thought she hated Mr. Darcy. Elisabeth explains all the circumstances
and the fact that she has misjudged him. Mr. Bennet gives his consent to the
marriage. The very last scene of the movie shows Mr. Darcy and Elisabeth at
Pemberley close to the lake at night after their marriage.
3. MUSIC OVERVIEW
As the movie is set at the end of the 18th century society and the classical
conception is kept, the music generally tries to evoke the atmosphere of the
given period. This happens mainly by employing the typical dance music of the
period for both balls that appear, as well as by using music that could have
10
potentially been heard in the streets at the given époque. This music is related
especially to the militia marching in the town. The dances and street music are
always an integral part of the story. Some of the piano pieces are reminiscent of
Beethoven’s
early
sonatas and play the role of an integral element of the story
too. The whole score finds its roots in the late classicist style. Nevertheless, the
music is allowed to abandon the historical correctness when needed to create a
more intimate atmosphere mainly in order to highlight states of minds of the
characters and their changes. The music has thus various functions in the movie:
evoking the spirit of the époque, depicting the inner world of the main character
and providing smooth and elegant transitions between scenes.
In terms of orchestration the main role is exclusively assigned to piano
which either appears as a solo instrument or accompanied by an ensemble of
instruments or orchestra. The piano can be perceived as an element which both
recalls the classical spirit of the given historic époque and brings an intimate
chamber atmosphere when needed. The piano thus represents a bridge between
the classical and contemporary worlds included in the score. Solo piano music
appears as an integral part of the story when characters are performing, either
practicing or for amusement of the society. When the piano is accompanied by
orchestra it is often reminiscent of classical piano concertos. The prominent use
of piano corresponds to the idea of finding the source of esthetics for the score in
the early Beethoven piano sonatas. Moreover, piano as a solo instrument or as a
part of an ensemble contributes to evoke the intimate atmosphere when needed.
Solo violin and violoncello also play an important role in the given scenes. A very
subtle balance in the use of the mentioned solo instruments and the orchestra is
noticeable. The size of the orchestra corresponds to the size of an orchestra of
11
Mozart’s
time
(2
flutes,
2
oboes,
2
clarinets,
2
bassoons,
2
horns,
2
trumpets,
Violins 1, Violins 2, Violas, Violoncellos, Double basses)4 and is complemented by
harp.
English Chamber Orchestra, accessed May 12, 2015,
http://www.englishchamberorchestra.co.uk/about/eco.
4
12
4. THEMES
My analysis will mainly be based on transcription of the soundtrack itself,
however some scores have tried to be found as reference materials but only a
couple of piano reductions were available.5 These scores were published for
commercial
purposes
and
don’t
follow
entirely
the original score so they were
only used as a reference.
In order to evoke the atmosphere of the historical period of the story
especially in terms of ball music, various dance music pieces are used
throughout the score. The themes and motives related to dance music are, in
most of the cases, used only once, each according to the occasion and type of the
dance. However, this chapter will focus mainly on non-dance music related
themes, their use in various situations, the architecture of their employment and
the overlapping and combining within their particular scenes.
x
Theme 1
Figure 1: Theme 1 (Dawn)
Dario Marianelli and David Hawkins, Dawn From Pride and Prejudice, Thunder Bay, Ont: David
Hawkins Music and Graphics, 2008; Dario Marianelli, Pride & prejudice: music from the motion
picture soundtrack, Milwaukee, WI : distributed by Hal Leonard, 2006.
5
13
Theme 1 (Dawn) is the opening theme of the film which sets the classical
mood of the movie right from the beginning as it reminds the listener of
Beethoven’s piano sonatas. The theme is used in 5 cues which are spread
throughout the score quite regularly. Cue 1 introduces the theme purely in piano
and
is
related
to
the
general
introduction
of
the
Bennet’s
family
and
the
main
character Elisabeth Bennet. The theme returns in piano, strings and winds in cue
3 to provide a transition between the scenes at the moment that the night
dialogue between Elisabeth and Jane ends. Music acts as an integral part of the
story in cue 16 when Elisabeth plays the theme on piano, as well as in cue 21 in
which Mr. Darcy’s
sister
Georgiana
performs
the
theme. The use of the theme at
the end of the movie in cue 27 provides the logical arc to the story: it reminds the
viewer of the sunrise and landscape at the very beginning of the movie as well as
of
the
Bennet’s
house
and the story setting in the first scene. The theme appears
only in piano similarly to the beginning.
x
Theme 2
Figure 2: Theme 2 (The Secret Life of Daydreams)
14
Theme 2 is the most frequently used one. It appears in different situations
and in contrasting contexts and moods. Compared to the other themes, theme 2
undergoes a variety of modifications according to the mood of the given scene in
terms of orchestration or tempo, sometimes it is even presented as a solo line of
one single instrument. The theme also provides the source of material to be
combined with other themes and thus creates an element giving unity to the
whole score. Theme 2 is used in 6 cues all together. It first appears in cue 4 in
piano in medium tempo as it accompanies Elisabeth walking to Netherfield to
see her ill sister. Cue 7 uses the theme in piano in faster tempo. It is
complemented by the random vocal line. The fast energetic piano version of the
theme nicely highlights the bustling and slight nervousness of preparation for
the ball at Netherfield. Music accompanying the arrival at the ball begins with the
same piano accompaniment as the one related to the theme 2 so the expectation
of appearance of the theme is created but then the music takes a different
direction. At the end of cue 13 theme 2 appears in slow motion as a melody of
clarinet solo. This combination evokes a nostalgic and calm mood corresponding
to the end of the ball and leaving for home in contrast to the festive energetic
music accompanying the arrival to the ball. Cue 15 brings the theme in slow
motion in piano and later in high strings which come in counterpoint to the
piano melody. The theme here evokes a nostalgic and thoughtful mood which
nicely underlines the flow of thoughts of the main character, the slow motion of
the swing and the passing time. In the second part of cue 19 (Elisabeth in
Derbyshire), theme 2 represents the leading characteristic melody of high
strings. The melody is thus given a new sense in terms of musical context as well
as storytelling by being set into a new harmony pattern and orchestration
15
context. The combination of the elements mentioned results, therefore, in
creating a unique dream-like fresh mood, highlighting the splendid view of the
landscape as well as the effect of the wind
on
Elisabeth’s
hair. We might expect
appearing
of
theme
2
as
the
main
melody
in
cue
26
(Mr.
Darcy’s
second
proposal) because the same music, harmony structure and orchestration as in
cue 19 is used. However, a different melody in high strings that is only specific
for this cue appears. Theme 2 dominates cue 28 which is the last cue of the
movie. It is introduced by high string solo line, later a counterpoint in strings
comes in which then smoothly results in the same harmony and orchestration
pattern as in cue 19 and 26 with the melody of the theme leading the passage.
Piano motion is not included in this cue which results in a more serene
atmosphere, yet remains dreamy, as in previous cues.
x
Theme 3
Figure 3: Theme 3 (Leaving Netherfield)
16
Theme 3 is a slow sad adagio which evokes a nostalgic mood related to
situations of leaving something the protagonists liked and
enjoyed.
It’s
only
used
in 2 consecutive cues – cue 13 (The ball at Netherfield) and cue 14 (Mr. Bingley
leaving). In cue 13 the serene theme 3 appears in strings and creates a contrast
with dance music of the ball. Music allows the audience to perceive the ball and
its end from a more distant perspective and creates thus a transition between
the very end of the ball and the moment of leaving. Theme 3 seamlessly leads
into theme 2 played by clarinet solo, which concludes the cue. Theme 3 appears
again in cue 14, which
accompanies
Mr.
Bingley’s
departure
from
Netherfield. In
contrast to the previous cue where the theme only appears in strings, this time
the theme gently spreads throughout the whole orchestra. Nonetheless, the
leading role belongs mainly to the piano.
x
Theme 4a
Figure
4:
Theme
4a
(Darcy’s
Letter,
fast
and
dramatic)
17
Theme 4a represents the most dramatic and strong musical element of
the score, which highlights the most tense scenes of the movie. It first appears in
the second half of the movie in cue 17 (Mr.
Darcy’s
First
Proposal) when
Elisabeth runs over the bridge in the rain to the Pavilion unknowingly followed
by Mr. Darcy. The theme underlines the physical motion as well as psychological
state of mind (anxiety) of the main character after learning about Mr. Darcy
separating Mr. Bingley from her sister Jane. It enters softly in clarinet and oboe
and later is taken by high strings accompanied by the rhythmic motion of the
orchestra. The
theme
appears
again
in
cue
23
(Learning
about
Lydia’s
running
away) where it accompanies the dramatic moment of sudden departure home
from home at the point of the trip to Derbyshire when they learn of Lydia’s
running away with Mr. Wickham. It depicts the danger of ruining the name of the
Bennet’s
family.
Similarly to cue 17, the theme highlights the physical motion of
the carriage on the way home together with anxiety of the characters provoked
by the dreadful news. The orchestration remains the same as in cue 17 except
from the line of violoncello solo, which represents the continuation of music of
theme 4b used under the dialogue between Elisabeth and Mr. Darcy before the
departure.
x
Theme 4b
Figure
5:
Theme
4b
(Darcy’s
Letter,
slow
and
thoughtful)
18
Theme 4b is a slow motion meditative modification of the material of
theme 4a. It’s
combined
with simple counter melody highlighted in blue in the
example Theme 4b. Similarly to theme 4b, it only appears in the second part of
the movie. It exclusively appears in connection with the relationship between
Elisabeth and Mr. Darcy. Cue 18 follows the most dramatic dialogue of the movie
and leads us consequently into a contemplative scene in which Elisabeth thinks
of
the
past
event
and
reads
Mr.
Darcy’s
letter
addressing
her
offences
against
him. The theme develops in piano, violoncello solo and strings. It’s
used
again
shortly in cue 23 to accompany the dialogue between Elisabeth and Mr. Darcy
after learning of Lydia running away. The theme is given obscure colors by being
set to violoncello solo and violoncello ensemble. It subsequently provides a
smooth transition to dramatic motion-like theme 4a and continues in
counterpoint to it in violoncello
solo.
Cue
26
(Mr.
Darcy’s
second
proposal)
is
a
combination of theme 4b and
theme
5.
Theme
4b
brings
Elisabeth’s
to
contemplative mood and then accompanies the dialogue between Elisabeth and
Mr. Darcy, which finally clears their relationship. The musical content
corresponds to the one used in cue 18 but subtle alternations in orchestration in
cue 26, mainly use of flute and harp, give the cue brighter character and highlight
morning serene mood.
19
x
Theme 5
Figure 6: above, Theme 5 (Liz on Top of the World); bellow, combination of
Theme 5 with Theme 2
Theme 5 is used in the most emotional scenes of the movie and only
appears in the very last part of the movie. The axis of the theme lies in the piano
although the sustained notes in lower strings and the brass supporting the
harmony together with the melody line in strings play an essential role as well.
The theme is first introduced in cue 19 where Elisabeth enjoys the nature of
Derbyshire and which gives an impression of unreality and dreaminess. Theme 5
20
is combined here with theme 2 which comes in as a melody in high strings.
Almost the same music in terms of structure and orchestration is used in cue 26,
however, the melody in high strings is slightly different than the one in cue 19.
As in cue 19, the moment seems to border between reality and a dream which
theme 5 perfectly evokes. Theme 5 in cue 26 stands as a middle part of the cue
where beginning and the end of the cue belong to theme 4b. The harmony
structure, orchestration and the atmosphere of the second part of cue 19 and 26
- except for the piano part - is used in the very last cue of the movie. Although
theme
5
doesn’t
appear explicitly in piano here as in previous cues, the harmony
and the melody evoke implicitly its presence.
x
Theme 6
Figure 7: Theme 6 (The Living Sculptures of Pemberley)
21
Theme 6 is serene and calm and is only used twice in the score. It first
appears in the second part of the movie as a new music material bringing
forward
Mr.
Darcy’s
positive character traits, which had been unrevealed
previously. The theme also accompanies
Elisabeth’s
changing
attitude
towards
Mr.
Darcy.
The
theme
is
used
in
Cue
20
(Mr.
Darcy’s
home), which accompanies
Elisabeth
visiting
Mr.
Darcy’s
home at Pemberley and showing the beauty of his
family’s
arts
collections.
The
theme is introduced in piano and then developed in
orchestra. A great variety of orchestral colors reminding the listener subtly of
Ravel’s
orchestrations are used. In cue 25 (Montage) the theme only appears in
piano
and
accompanies
a
montage
showing
the
Bennet’s
house
at
night.
x
Theme 7
Figure 8: Theme 7 (Georgiana playing the piano)
Theme 7 is reminiscent of
classical
Beethoven’s
sonatas and is used as an
integral part of the story when Mr.
Darcy’s
sister Georgiana performs the piece
on
piano
(Cue
22).
In
cue
24
(Mr.
Bingley’s
proposal)
the
theme
appears
in
piano
22
accompanied by the orchestra bringing to mind a classical piano concerto
accompanying
Mr.
Bingley’s
practicing
a
marriage proposal. Theme 7 only
appears in the second part of the movie similarly to theme 6.
An interesting element to observe is the way of spreading the thematic
material over the score. Theme 1 is spread throughout the score regularly.
Theme 2 is the most frequently used one and appears in various modifications,
orchestrations and in combination with other themes during the entire score: it
works as the main melody of the movie. Serene and nostalgic theme 3 is only
used in the first part of the movie. The new significant thematic material (theme
4 a and b) appears in the most dramatic moment of the movie and is only used in
the second part of the movie in analogically similar situations. Theme 5 brings a
new dreamy emotional music material to the second half of the movie and works
in combination with theme 2. Theme 6 also appears only in the second part of
the movie as well as theme 7.
Dance music and the themes used as an integral part of the movie evoke
the atmosphere of the époque whereas the other themes are developed in a way
that brings more intimacy to the score and thus the main storylines are
underlined.
23
5. CUES ANALYSIS
The individual cues will be analyzed according to the thematic material
used in relation to the mood and the story. The cues with similar thematic
material will be compared in terms of the story context and orchestration. A
special attention will be dedicated to transitions between the scenes. The cues
will be presented in the following way: cue (name), start and end of the music,
scene description and the dramatic context, theme used, orchestration.
Cue 1 (Introduction) 0:47 – 5:00
0:47 – 3:14
- Dawn. Birds are singing and the landscape is shown, the sun rises (similarly to
the scene at the end of the movie when Elisabeth and Mr. Darcy meet). Elizabeth
is shown walking and reading a book. Cut to the village and the Bennets house.
Music fades out and the dialogue that brings the story context follows. Music
comes back at the end of the cue and underlines the enthusiasm of the upcoming
ball.
- Theme 1 (Dawn) is introduced softly in piano and its nature is reminiscent of
Beethoven’s
sonatas. When the camera enters the house, the theme becomes
gradually richer. When the dialogue starts, music fades out through the chords
that provide less dense and intrusive structure allowing the dialogue to come
out.
24
4:27 – 5:00
- Theme 1 (Dawn) is coming back with the sentence “Are we coming to the
ball?
I
believe
so.” Music then flows until the end of the scene and blends directly
into the dance music of the following scene.
- The theme is only developed in piano throughout the whole cue.
Cue 2 (Ball) 5:00 – 13:27
- The ball at Meryton Townhall. People are dancing, the Bennet family is
introduced to Mr. Bingley, his sister and Mr. Darcy. Several dances of similar
characters alternate throughout the scene.
- Dance music 1 (Meryton Townhall) evokes the atmosphere of a public ball of
the end of the 18th century where the story is situated. Music is an integral part
of the story.
- Chamber orchestra (period instruments)
- The ball music is faded out using a very long reverb that evokes a flavor of a
dreamy memory of the ball when both sisters are shown talking in the bed about
the ball events before falling asleep.
Cue 3 (Dialogue in bed after the ball)
14:14 – 14:51
- Elisabeth and Jane talk about the ball events in bed. Music only enters at the
end of the scene when the dialogue finishes and thus provides an elegant
transition to the following scene.
- Theme 1 (Dawn) softly comes in when the dialogue ends and brings a
transition into the next morning scene. Music is used as a bridge between the
25
two scenes, the dialogue from the beginning of the following scene enters into
music, the music subtly finishes with the end of the musical phrase.
- The theme appears in piano, strings and winds.
Cue 4 (Elisabeth walking to Netherfield)
16:59 – 17:37
- Elisabeth walks to Netherfield to see her sister Jane.
- Theme 2 (The Secret Life of Daydreams). Music
starts
with
Elisabeth’s
sudden standing up when she decides to head for Netherfield. When the short
dialogue appears, we can only hear accompaniment without the melodic line.
Music ends with Mr. Darcy’s
abruptly and noisily standing up from his chair.
- The theme only appears in piano.
Cue 5 (Regiment)
19:10 - 19:57
- The regiment is coming to the town.
- Military music (The Militia Marches In) abruptly stops with the cut to the
following interior scene.
- Drums, whistles
Cue 6 (The city, regiment, meeting Mr. Wickham)
29:27 – 31:00
- The regiment is in the town of Meryton. The Bennet sisters walk to Meryton
and in this occasion they make the acquaintance of Mr. Wickham. There is a
violinist playing in the street.
26
- solo Violin melody evokes music that could have been heard in the street in
the given historical époque. It starts at the end of the previous scene. There are 3
dynamic levels of violin music in the scene. Full dynamics corresponds to being
in exterior with no dialogue. The dynamics is slightly lowered when the dialogue
starts as if the source (the violinist) was further away. When going into interior
(the shop) the dynamic level is lowered to minimum as the source is outside. The
violin line completely disappears with the cut to the Bennet sisters walking
home in the countryside accompanied by Mr. Wickham.
- Violin solo.
Cue 7 (Preparation for the Ball at Netherfield)
33:19 – 33:53
- The Bennet family is getting prepared for the Ball at Netherfield.
- Theme 2 (The Secret Life of Daydreams). Music starts at the end of the
previous scene when the dialogue ends with Elisabeth breathing. The following
scene opens. The tempo is faster and more impatient than in cue 4. The vocal line
appears together with piano. The line is sung by a servant in the Bennets’ house
and stands as an integral part of the story. Music fades out with the dialogue
between Elisabeth and Jane.
- The theme only appears in piano and is accompanied by the singing of a
servant.
Cue 8 (The Ball at Netherfield, Arrival)
34:14 – 35:11
- The guests arrive to the ball at Netherfield.
27
- Music of theme 2 appears very shortly at the end of the previous scene, and
creates a transition into the following scene. When the camera shows the coming
guests, material of theme 2 transforms into another music (Arrival at
Netherfield) with a strong reminiscent of a classical piano concerto of
Beethoven’s era. Its character underlines nicely the festive atmosphere of the
upcoming event. Music fades out slowly when getting into the interior.
- Piano accompanied by the chamber orchestra.
Cue 9 and 10 (The Ball at Netherfield, Dance music)
35:33 - 38:18
- Elisabeth is looking for Mr. Wickham but Mr. Collins asks her for dance. She
accepts.
- Dance music 2 and 3 has the character of English dances that could have been
heard in the époque the story is set to. Music ends sharply with Elisabeth and
Charlotte leaving the dance laughing.
- Chamber orchestra, period instruments.
Cue 11 (The Ball at Netherfield, Dance music)
38:52 – 41:25
- Elisabeth dances with Mr. Darcy, the conversation is getting more and more
tense towards the end of the dance when it tackles Mr. Wickham.
- Dance music 4 (Sarabande, A Postcard to Henry Purcell) starts with solo
violin accompanying the conversation while the couple is dancing. Very soft
entrances of high strings are to be noticed, which accompany the solo violin
especially during the pauses in conversation. The detail of high string entrances
28
adds a dreamy and more distant dimension to the whole scene at certain
moments. When the conversation ends, solo violoncello enters in counterpoint to
the violin melody and strings enter in a more decisive way. Music thus assumes a
dominant role and takes the viewer to a dreamy distant view of the scene. This
effect nicely underlines the fact that the conversation is over and both characters
are left with their own thoughts separate from each other. The Sarabande is built
on the theme by Henry Purcell that brings us back in time to the given historical
époque but the way Marianelli works with strings and violoncello counterpoint
gives the whole cue contemporary character and more intimacy.
- The cue keeps the soft mood of solo violin, violoncello and strings.
Cue 12 (The Ball at Netherfield, Dance music)
42:38 – 44:21
- Diverse events and conversations happening at the ball.
- Dance music 5 evokes the mood of English dances related to the period of the
story. The dance ends by fading directly into the following adagio music.
- Chamber orchestra, period instruments.
Cue 13 (The Ball at Netherfield, The end of the ball and leaving)
- 44:21 – 45:37
- The very end of the ball. Mrs. Bennet is already counting on Jane marrying Mr.
Bingley, Mr. Collins is looking for Elisabeth, disappointed Mary is crying,
Elisabeth is alone hiding from the bustling of the ball.
- The previous dance directly fades into a slow thoughtful adagio theme 3
(Leaving Netherfield) that leads towards the end of the ball scene and creates a
29
more distant dreamy view of the events. The adagio theme is transformed into
the melody of the theme 2 (The Secret Life of Daydreams) featuring a
nostalgic clarinet solo in slow tempo. The solo brings the cue towards the end.
- Strings, solo clarinet.
Cue 14 (Mr. Bingley leaving)
51:49 – 52:45
- The letter arrives announcing that Mr. Bingley is leaving Netherfield. We can
see him and his companions leaving Netherfield and servants closing the house.
- The nostalgic adagio theme 3 (Leaving Netherfield) enters with sad
Jane’s
face and creates a transition to the
following
scene
depicting
Mr.
Bingley’s
departure. The music evokes the mood of a romantic piano concerto of
Chopin’s
character.
- Piano accompanied by orchestra and harp. Melody alternates softly between
piano, oboe, clarinet and strings.
Cue 15 (After Charlotte telling Elisabeth she is engaged, swing)
55:48 – 57:36
- Charlotte comes to announce Elisabeth that she is engaged to Mr. Collins. After
a tense talk Elisabeth is shown sitting on the swing drowned in her thoughts. The
swing turns around slowly and gives the notion of passing time. At the end of the
cue the camera shows Charlotte’s
new
house, where Elisabeth has come to visit
her.
- Theme 2 (The Secret Life of Daydreams) enters in slow tempo with the cut to
Elisabeth’s
surprised
face. The speed of music corresponds to the slow motion of
30
the swing turning around, the flow
of
Elisabeth’s
thoughts
and
to
passing
time.
Music transports in time and serves also as a bridge between the scenes.
- The theme enters in piano but later violins bring the theme again in
counterpoint to the continuing piano line. The music slowly fades out with the
dialogue.
Cue 16 (Visiting Lady Catherine)
1:03:13 – 1:05:14
- Lady Catherine asks Elisabeth to play the piano. Mr. Darcy comes to listen
closer to her performance.
- Theme 1 (Dawn) is performed by Elisabeth on piano. The quality of her
performance corresponds to her abilities. Music is an integral part of the story. It
fades out slowly into the following scene providing a soft bridge between the
scenes.
- Piano.
Cue
17
(Mr.
Darcy’s
First
Proposal)
1:08:10 – 1:08:41
- After a church mass where Elisabeth learns about Mr. Darcy separating Jane
and Mr. Bingley, she runs in agony over the bridge to the Pavilion despite the
rain. Mr. Darcy follows her intending to propose her marriage. An argument
between them follows.
- Theme 4a (Darcy’s
Letter)
comes as a new strong thematic material. It is
characteristic by its dramatic form and fast tempo and it highlights the most
dramatic and tense moment of the movie.
31
- The theme is introduced by soft but dramatic alternating between clarinet and
oboe at the moment when Elisabeth realizes it was Mr. Darcy who separated
Jane from Mr. Bingley. With
Mr.
Darcy’s
sudden
look
at
Elisabeth
the
theme is
taken by strings and spreads throughout the orchestra to provide an engine
while Elisabeth runs over the bridge. The music thus expresses physical motion
together with inner disharmony and excitement of the main character. Music
ends
with
Elisabeth’s
surprised
reaction when she notices Mr. Darcy standing
close to her.
Cue 18 (Elisabeth
reads
Mr.
Darcy’s
letter)
- 1:12:34 – 1:15:52
- Elisabeth is shown thinking about the past events. The whole day passes. In the
evening Mr. Darcy comes to leave a letter for Elisabeth explaining the addressed
misunderstandings. She starts reading it.
- Theme 4b (Darcy’s
Letter)
is a slow meditative adagio in contrast to its
dramatic modification used in the previous cue. Music starts at the end of the
previous scene showing Elisabeth in the pavilion from distance at the moment
she leans on the wall. It creates a connection to the following contemplative
scene. The atmosphere is mostly gloomy with some sparkles of hope. The music
stops at once when Charlotte appears.
- The melody is lead by piano and solo violoncello. Then strings section softly
enters supporting the harmony with its entrances. Subtle play with harmony
tension enhanced by orchestration and play with silence are to be noticed in the
cue.
32
Cue 19 (Elisabeth in Derbyshire)
1:19:20 – 1:20:31
- Beautiful dreamy transition
from
Elisabeth’s bedroom to the nature of
Derbyshire. Elisabeth appears on the top of the hill in the wind, it is not clear
whether it happens
only
in
Elisabeth’s
dream
or whether it is already part of the
trip to Derbyshire with her aunt and uncle.
- Theme 5 (Liz on Top of The World) combined with Theme 2 (The Secret
Life of Daydreams). Music provides an elegant transition between two scenes
and different environments. Theme 5 in piano comes after Elisabeth blows out
the candle. Music evokes a dream-like mood depicting nicely the scenery. Melody
of theme 2 in higher strings joins the piano after a harp pick up at the moment
when the view of landscape appears.
- Theme 5 is set to piano while the melody of theme 2 is set to strings. Harp
arpeggios amplify the splendor of the view. Harmony, highlighted by lower
strings and soft brass sound, is an important element in mood creation of the
scene.
Cue 20 (Mr.
Darcy’s
home)
1:22:00 – 1:24:59
- Elisabeth
visits
Mr.
Darcy’s
house
(Pemberley)
with
her
aunt
and
uncle. She is
amazed by collections of paintings and statues in the house as well as by Mr.
Darcy’s
statue.
The
dialogue
points
on
Mr.
Darcy’s
good
features.
We
can
feel
Elisabeth’s
change
of
attitude
towards
Mr.
Darcy.
- Theme 6 (The Living Sculptures of Pemberley) evokes a serene, calm
atmosphere bringing positive mood. Music starts with Elisabeth appearing in the
33
hallway and underlines Elisabeth’s
changing attitude towards Mr. Darcy as well
as the beauty of the collections in the house.
- The cue is rich in various orchestral colors that highlight the tasteful richness
of the collection of the house of Pemberley. The theme travels throughout variety
of instruments: piano, strings, woodwinds, horns, harp. The soft pulse of the
cue alternates between piano and harp. The cue evokes some of Ravel’s
works
by
its mood and use of orchestral colors. At the moment of dialogue the
orchestration is reduced to soft high strings.
Cue 21 (Georgiana playing the piano)
1:25:08 – 1:25:08
- Elisabeth can hear someone
playing
the
piano.
It’s
Georgiana
Darcy.
Elisabeth
silently listens to her performance. Suddenly Mr. Darcy unexpectedly appears
and surprises his sister who welcomes him joyfully. Elisabeth is watching them
when Mr. Darcy notices her presence.
- Theme 1 (Dawn) which Elisabeth performed in Mrs. Catherine’s
house
is
now
performed by Georgiana. Music is thus the integral part of the story. When
Georgiana notices the presence of her brother, she stops playing and music ends.
- Piano.
Cue 22 (Georgiana playing the piano)
1:28:57 – 1:29:24
- Georgiana plays the piano and Mr. Darcy listens to her performance while
waiting for the visitors. Elisabeth enters the room with her aunt and uncle.
34
- Theme 7 (Georgiana) is performed on piano by Georgiana. Music evokes a
mood of a classical piano sonata and brings thus to the given époque. Music is
integral part of the story as well. When Georgiana notices the guests, she stops
playing and welcomes them, music ends.
- Piano.
Cue 23 (Learning
about
Lydia’s
running away)
1:31:41 – 1:32:43
- Elisabeth reads a letter from Jane and learns about Lydia running away with
Mr. Wickham. She explains crying what happened to her aunt and uncle and to
Mr. Darcy. The situation is grave, Mr. Darcy leaves, Elisabeth returns home with
her aunt and uncle.
- Theme 4a and 4b
(Darcy’s
Letter). The slow and gloomy theme 4b is
combined with its dramatic fast motion form 4a and is thus able to depict both –
the seriousness and sadness of the situation together with a dramatic moment of
necessity to solve the situation. The theme can also be associated with physical
motion. Music provides a transition between scenes leading from the hotel in
Derbyshire back home
to
the
Bennets’
house.
- Theme 4b is brought in by a violoncello solo, then a violoncello ensemble
repeats the same melody in counterpoint to the continuing violoncello solo
melodic line. The tempo is slow and the atmosphere evoked is gloomy, which
supports the story well. With Mr. Darcy leaving the room, the dramatic fast
motion theme 4a is brought in by clarinet and oboe similarly to cue 17. With
the cut to the carriage moving at night the motion theme is taken by strings and
music is spread into the whole orchestra. Slow solo violoncello line from the
35
beginning of the cue continues in counterpoint to the main dramatic melody
until the end of the cue.
Cue 24 (Mr.
Bingley’s
proposal)
1:42:33 – 1:43:17
- Mr. Bingley comes
to
the
Bennets’ house with the intention to propose marriage
to Jane. He practices the way of how to approach the task at the lake with Mr.
Darcy.
- Theme 7 (Georgiana) which
we
could
first
hear
performed
by
Mr.
Darcy’s
sister Georgiana on piano brings a lighter atmosphere and suggests the positive
development of successive events.
- The theme appears in piano accompanied by the orchestra. Music evokes the
atmosphere of a classical piano concerto.
Cue 25 (Montage)
1:45:37 – 1:47:48
- Elisabeth sits alone outside the house drowned in her thoughts, Mr. Darcy
leaves.
Later
the
Bennets’ house is shown at night: Mr. and Mrs. Bennet are
talking, Mary is reading a book aloud, the servant is singing, Jane is enjoying her
happiness talking to Elisabeth.
- Theme 6 (The Living Statues of Pemberley) comes in with the cut to
Elisabeth shown sitting under the tree. Music creates an intimate atmosphere
and fits the scene of montage-like character.
It
ends
gradually
with
Jane’ and
Elisabeth’s
dialogue.
- The theme is only developed in piano, short singing of a servant.
36
Cue
26
(Mr.
Darcy’s
second
proposal)
1:51:48 – 1:56:56
- Elisabeth cannot sleep because of an unexpected visit of lady Catherine and her
argument with her. Therefore she goes walking early in the morning before the
sunrise. A silhouette appears far away in the fog, it is Mr. Darcy who also could
not sleep having learnt about the visit of lady Catherine. The two of them meet
and reveal their feelings to each other. Elisabeth accepts Mr. Darcy’s
hand.
- Theme 4b (Darcy’s
letter), theme 5 (Liz on Top of The World), theme 4b
(Darcy’s
letter). Slow motion meditative theme 4b starts slightly before the cut
to Elisabeth drowned into her thoughts walking in the dark before the sunrise.
When she notices Mr. Darcy walking towards her, dreamy theme 5 takes the
main role. This reminds us of Elisabeth standing on the top of the hill in
Derbyshire as if everything was happening in a dream. When the dialogue starts,
the dreamy theme gradually ends, a tiny moment of silence giving a slight
tension in conversation follows and the slow theme 4b comes back
accompanying the dialogue. At the end of the scene theme 4b is directly
transformed into the theme 1 to provide a bridge to the following scene.
- Theme 4b is brought by harp, strings and flute, then it spreads slowly into the
orchestra. The orchestration with melody in flute and a soft pulse in harp is
brighter than the one in
Darcy’s
letter scene. Theme 5 is brought by piano, high
strings bring melody, which flies above the pulse of piano and harp glissandos.
Harmony is supported by lower strings and brass, which give special power to
the music. Theme 4b is brought back by harp, soft entrances of strings and
flute melody, which is doubled by violoncello solo at the moment when Mr.
37
Darcy steps closer to Elisabeth. The music ends with strings harmony and a
piano taking the role.
Cue
27
(Mr.
Bennet’s
approval)
1:55:55 – 1:56:35, 1:59:23 – 2:00:02
- Mr. Darcy comes to ask Mr. Bennet for Elisabeth’s
hand.
Then discussion
between Elisabeth and her father follows.
- Theme 1 (Dawn) is brought by piano at the end of the previous scene. Music
thus creates an arch that brings the viewer back to the beginning of the movie.
The cue is ended by a long note in high strings that provides a transition to the
following scene.
- Piano, Orchestra.
Cue 28 (At Pemberley)
2:00:02 – 2:01:48
- Mr. Darcy and Elisabeth are sitting together close to the lake at Pemberley.
- Theme 2 (The Secret Life of Daydreams) and theme 5 (Liz on Top of the
World).
- Theme 2 is brought by high strings at the end of the previous scene. Then
lower strings enter in counterpoint to the main melody. The harmony scheme of
cue 26 is used with low strings and brass, including harp glissandos and
excluding the piano.
38
6. CONCLUSION
The
film
director
Joe
Wright
based
his
movie
on
Jane
Austin’s
novel Pride
and Prejudice. He managed to keep the classical touch of the story while being
able to bring the characters and their emotions closer to present day public.
Dario
Marianelli’s
music
for
Pride
and
Prejudice
fulfills the demands to create a
classical score underlining the spirit of the given époque but at the same time it
doesn’t
lack
the
intimacy
needed for depicting the emotions and inner
perception of main characters.
An important element helping to achieve this unique symbiosis is the
piano, which functions as means of evoking the classical époque in which the
story is set as well as means of giving the score more intimacy. Dance music and
street music together with solo piano pieces, which are used as integral parts of
the story, evoke persuasively the atmosphere of the given époque. Some of piano
solo
entrances
remind
us
of
Beethoven’s
classical
sonatas which corresponds to
the original idea of finding the source of esthetics for the score in the early
Beethoven’s piano sonatas.
Themes 2-6 present the material derived from
classical musical language but modified in a way to reach the intimate
atmosphere necessary for depicting the story itself. Solo violin and violoncello
play often an important role in supporting the intimate impact of the score.
Last but not least, subtle details applied in the score on various levels
including orchestration, work with scene transitions and use of themes
contribute to giving the score unity and maximize emotional impact. The score
can be considered a great example of marrying the tradition with needs for
contemporary expression.
39
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Air
Edel.
“Dario
Marianelli.” Accessed May 10, 2015. http://www.airedel.co.uk/representation/composers/6/dario-marianelli/.
English Chamber Orchestra. Accessed May 12, 2015.
http://www.englishchamberorchestra.co.uk/about/eco.
Goldwasser, Dan. “[Interview
with
Dario
Marianelli].” Soundtrack.net. Last
modified 2006. Accessed May 10, 2015.
http://www.soundtrack.net/content/article/?id=187.
IMDb. “Pride
and
Prejudice
(2005).”
Accessed May 11, 2015.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0414387/.
Marianelli, Dario. Pride & prejudice: music from the motion picture soundtrack.
Milwaukee, WI: distributed by Hal Leonard, 2006.
Marianelli, Dario, and David Hawkins. Dawn From Pride and Prejudice. Thunder
Bay, Ont: David Hawkins Music and Graphics], 2008.
Ruhlmann, William. “AllMusic Review.” Allmusic.com. Accessed May 10, 2015.
http://www.allmusic.com/album/pride-prejudice-original-scoremw0000704072.
40
