The Duchess [Original Score]

Rachel Portman

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The Duchess [Original Score] Review

by William Ruhlmann

Director Saul Dibb's The Duchess, based on Amanda Foreman's biography of Georgiana Cavendish (1757-1806), Duchess of Devonshire, is an 18th century costume drama, and composer Rachel Portman naturally has come up with a string-filled score that references the Classical and Romantic styles of the time. But it's actually a 21st century adaptation of those styles, mixed with familiar movie underscoring, not slavish imitation of the music of the period, as the inclusions of a couple of tracks by near-contemporaries Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) and Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) demonstrate. Portman accompanies the action in cues with suggestive titles like "Gee and Grey Make Love" and "Rape," coming up with compelling themes set to supple rhythms. It's music that suits the film in the same way that the period costumes do, probably more colorfully and vibrantly than strict realism would allow.

Track Listing

Title/Composer Performer Time Stream
1
The Duchess, film score~The Duchess
Rachel Portman
Rachel Portman 01:41 SpotifyAmazon
2
Duchess, film score~Mistake of you life
Rachel Portman
Rachel Portman 03:27 SpotifyAmazon
3
Duchess, film score~I think of you all the time
Rachel Portman
Rachel Portman 03:41 SpotifyAmazon
4
Duchess, film score~No mood for conversation
Rachel Portman
Rachel Portman 00:59 SpotifyAmazon
5
Duchess, film score~Gee and Grey make love
Rachel Portman
Rachel Portman 01:57 SpotifyAmazon
6
Duchess, film score~Gee and Grey together in bath
Rachel Portman
Rachel Portman 02:57 SpotifyAmazon
7
German Dances (12) for orchestra, WoO 8~German Dance No. 10 in D major
Ludwig van Beethoven
Rachel Portman 03:16 SpotifyAmazon
8
Duchess, film score~Awakening
Rachel Portman
Rachel Portman 01:25 SpotifyAmazon
9
Duchess, film score~Rape
Rachel Portman
Rachel Portman 01:53 SpotifyAmazon
10
Duchess, film score~Bess 'sons
Rachel Portman
Rachel Portman 02:03 SpotifyAmazon
11
Duchess, film score~Gee gives up baby
Rachel Portman
Rachel Portman 01:33 SpotifyAmazon
12
Duchess, film score~Six years later
Rachel Portman
Rachel Portman 02:33 SpotifyAmazon
13
Duchess, film score~Some things too late, others too early
Rachel Portman
Rachel Portman 01:06 SpotifyAmazon
14
String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 1/3 (H. 3/3)~Adagio
Franz Joseph Haydn
Rachel Portman 05:49 SpotifyAmazon
15
Duchess, film score~Never see your children again
Rachel Portman
Rachel Portman 02:02 SpotifyAmazon
16
Duchess, film score~Grey comes back
Rachel Portman
Rachel Portman 01:53 SpotifyAmazon
17
Duchess, film score~Gee is taken to the country
Rachel Portman
Rachel Portman 01:37 SpotifyAmazon
18
Duchess, film score~End titles
Rachel Portman
Rachel Portman 02:08 SpotifyAmazon
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The Duchess [Original Score]

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