ALL IS TRUE
Composer Patrick Doyle
Doyle is a talented and solid composer who’s scores I very rarely dislike. He reaches the emotional level of each film he works on and whilst this movie’s subject may give expectation of period music [Elizabethan]Doyle goes deeper.
All is True is directed and starring Kenneth Branagh, whom Doyle has worked with many times. It deals with the Bards latter years where The Globe Theatre, which burnt down in 1613, bought forth his early retirement. The writer returns to his family in Stratford-Upon Avon [whilst writing he more or less lived in London].
The score starts The Globe, a slow and poignant track depicting the sorrow of the ruination of the theatre represented in descending string and chords and piano. Hamnet’s Grave follows and is equally sad telling again of deep the sadness of loosing his 11 year son to the plague. It’s a track so still yet beautiful.
The descending chords and short 5 note piano refrain are the running support themes to each cue making it easy to follow the musical story of the film. The slow pace of the score continues in Southampton where the piano is intertwined with harp. The tone is gently upbeat in Love, Not Ambition but we return to lower registers in Plague, a sparse and harrowing cue.
It’s the stillness of this soundtrack which makes it so commanding. It is a one level, bitter sweet soundtrack which would perhaps not be played that often but it fits perfectly into Doyle’s catalogue.
Rating: ***/*****
Label: Sony Classical
- The Globe 2:12
- Hamnet’s Grave 2:31
- Ten Thousand More 2:19
- The Trial 1:10
- The Visitation 2:26
- Southampton 1:53
- Love, Not Ambition 1:4
- Clever Lad 1:37
- It Grieves Me 1:32
- A Little Boy 1:27
- Stay A Moment 2:45
- Plague 2:25
- What You Deserved 1:11
- The Ovation 3:07
- Fear No More 3:09
- Know A Bank 2:44
- Fear No More [Reprise 2:24
Running Time 36:40
Filmic Tracks 