Rococo Music + "Chocolat" = The Duchess

In "The Duchess" is a calm soundtrack that can hear partially a little reminiscent of "Chocolat" - but this is not surprising, since both yes originate from the same composer, and what is not really a quality defect. Quite the contrary.

Specially composed for the film melodies alternate with parts of classical pieces (German Dance No.10 in D Major; String Quartet No.3 in D Major), so the atmosphere a little between rococo dance music, pensive ballads and some a few fast-paced pieces oscillates back and forth. Overall a very good mix, I had already feared the film would, as unfortunately so often happens, simplistic backed by "matching" classical pieces.

With Rachel Portman has however found a composer, has the sense of both: The classic 18th century environment of "The Duchess" with all formality, stiffness, as well as frivolity; as well as a sense of the tragic action actually a woman and her unhappy marriage. Thus, the soundtrack also a "red thread", a sort of melancholy underlying theme on which will be taken up again and again and is total, as already mentioned, a rather quiet, thoughtful piece of music which perfectly but has exhilarating moments (here come the "Chocolat "elements also the most by) and perhaps less than accompaniment for rapid car trips, rather than in the evening is to relax with a book and a glass of wine)

The soundtrack can be heard in isolation from the film again and again thoroughly without this becomes quickly boring.

Half a point I would sometimes pull back only for the relative brevity of Silberling.