Atonement
Reviewed by Derek Tersmette
February 05, 2008

Atonement sees acclaimed Italian composer Dario Marianelli re-teaming with director Joe Wright. The score has already won the Golden Globe Award and has also been nominated for the prestigious Academy Award. Given that the previous Wright/Marianelli collaboration, Pride & Prejudice also provided an Oscar nomination for best score in 2005, it didn’t come as much of a surprise to see the two reunited. In 2007, the duo tackle another English novel, Ian McEwan’s war drama Atonement, of which most critics claim has been wonderfully transferred to the silver screen.

In my opinion, it’s a rare thing these days to see a score having so much impact on a film as a whole. Marianelli’s break-through year, which was undoubtedly 2005, featured 3 terrific scores by the Italian. The Brothers Grimm, Pride & Prejudice and Shooting Dogs did not only showcase a generous amount of creativity, but also showed that the composer had no problem handling a variety of genres. He seems to effortlessly appreciate the tone and mood of a story and it’s movie. And so he does in Atonement. The score is filled with dramatic themes and heartfelt orchestrations. In light of the inevitable comparison between the score for Pride & Prejudice and the score for this film, the last is more heavy and has far darker than the 2005 outing, but does in no way relinquish its sense of romance.

Surely, there are a lot of other similarities as well. For instance, gifted pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet has rejoined Marianelli. His participation in the production of this score has again been tremendous, as many of the essential moments of music rely on the piano and thusly, his skills. Orchestration is colorful and varied, exactly like we’ve come to expect from the Italian composer over the recent years. The typewriter effects for percussion as used in ‘Briony’ and ‘Come Back’ is a neat addition to the overall experience. Although I do not believe the idea to be entirely original, I do believe it’s the most effective use of the effect I ever laid ears on.

There is no doubt the music is wonderful. On album however, the score sometimes struggles somewhat to keep momentum. It never becomes anything anywhere near to a drag, but one might comment on the overall pressuring nature of the score, as I would like to describe it. Like it’s film, the music is packed with emotion and while of constant beauty, it tends to slow down now and then while remaining in this severely serious expression. This feature of the score make it a little less balanced, although these parts do rely well on the score’s different, impressive themes. Their development will keep your interest throughout the experience, even through the more difficult moments.

Other ways to make your score excel and sore above the average is the inclusion of single cues like ‘Elegy for Dunkirk’. Using a pre-existing hymn by John Greenleaf Whittier, Marianelli does an amazing writing a cue so delicate and yet extremely powerful. Intertwining one of his own themes with the hymn, their combination results into a climax of unbelievable beauty, then slowly flows back into Marianelli’s original score. An absolute standout track, in concept not unlike the ‘Postcard to Henry Purcell’ cue from Pride & Prejudice, in which the composer utilizes a similar idea to great effect.

All in all, if you’re in any way moved by the genre at all, you can’t go far wrong by purchasing this album. Although I can imagine the score having an even bigger impact in context of its film, on album it’s mostly constantly flourishing music, with many impressive and intelligent developments in terms of themes and orchestrations. I find it an impressive feat to see Marianelli writing appealing scores with such regularity. They have a sense of familiarity while adding something entirely new and original to the existing world of film music. Debussy’s magnificent ‘Clair de Lune’ is a welcome addition to any release. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if Marianelli was handed the golden statue later this month, I believe he’s earned it.

  printer friendly version

Click here to discuss this article in our forum »»