A Description Of A Lady

Oh dear, has it really been more than a month since my last post?
Real life has a habit of getting in the way of my writing time, but today I finally have a little time to hopefully write up a few posts.

                                    

The theme for this month's Inkling Explorations is a description of a lady in literature.
A delightful theme and I immediately thought of my choice: the scene in Pride & Prejudice where Mr Darcy mentally describes Elizabeth.

"Mr. Darcy had at first scarcely allowed her to be pretty; he had looked at her without admiration at the ball; and when they next met, he looked at her only to criticise. But no sooner had he made it clear to himself and his friends that she had hardly a good feature in her face, than he began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes. To this discovery succeeded some others equally mortifying. Though he had detected with a critical eye more than one failure of perfect symmetry in her form, he was forced to acknowledge her figure to be light and pleasing; and in spite of his asserting that her manners were not those of the fashionable world, he was caught by their easy playfulness."

For more descriptions of ladies be sure to pop over to Heidi's blog here and read the other participants choices:)

Top 5 Period Drama Soundtracks

I love movie soundtracks.
And I love picking favourites too, so I thought it time for a delightful little top 5.

This is by no means a countdown to the all time favourite, for the positions shift almost daily depending on my mood, but one thing they have in common: they rise quite distinctly from the crowd of soundtracks to form a class of their own.

So without further ado...here they are:


Emma
                               

Apart from being a delightful series and one of my all time favourites, it is also filled to the brim with beautiful music. My absolute favourite number is The Last Dance (the music combined with the scene is simply perfection). But I can listen to it all  on repeat for hours and hours (and often do), for it is simply ideal as background music.



The Young Victoria
                                    

A truly wonderful movie filled with just as wonderful music. The music in here is quite varied in its moods; from grand and majestic to quiet and melancholic - it has it all. Picking favourites here is hard...there are so many. But if I have to choose one it must be Marriage Proposal, it contains the love theme that is just indescribably beautiful.



Sense and Sensibility
                                  

What I like the most about the music in this movie is the quiet feel of it. The orchestration is really beautiful and seems quite simple until you listen closely and suddenly discover just how many instruments are being played. I love to listen to this soundtrack just to relax, it is very soothing. My favourite of all the numbers is definitely My Father's Favourite. The simple piano voice is just so beautiful, and really underlines the mood of the song well.



Pride and Prejudice
                                

You can say what you want about the movie, but the music in it is some of the prettiest soundtracks of all  time. I love that much of it is solo piano (it does make it easier for me to play), it makes the contrast so much bigger when suddenly the whole orchestra joins in for the finale. My favourite is an example of just that: Liz On Top Of The World (which by the way is also a gorgeous scene).



The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
                              

When I first discovered this soundtrack on YouTube I didn't listen to anything else for days. I don't know exactly what it is that makes this music so special, but I really love the grand, epic and fairytale like sound of it. It is literally meant to transport you to another world, and it does just that. My favourite piece is Evacuating London. I love how it starts out quiet and sad and then transform into this big fully orchestrated piece that just set the mood for the movie.


So...it seems we have reached the end of this list.
Did we have any favourites in common?
What are some of your favourite soundtracks?

The Ultimate Jane Austen Adaptions

I have seen quite my share of  adaptions of Austen's works, and as every Janeite I have my list of favourite adaptions.

In the following I am collection a guide to all the adaptions I have seen:  what was good and bad about them and which one is the ultmate adaption of that particular book.

Pride and Prejudice

1995: My opinions on this adaption should be quite clear, considering I am a member of the P&P 1995 forever club. The actors are brilliant, the plot follows the novel down to the particulars and due to the length there is plenty of time to show all the plotlines and characters. The costumes are gorgeous, the music beautiful, the dance scenes lovely. I could go on forever. 

The only "bad" thing I can say about it is that I don't think the actress playing Jane is prettier than the one playing Elizabeth, something that was really underlined in the book, but that is just a pet peeve of mine. 

2005: This was actually the first Jane Austen movie I ever saw, and when I saw it first I loved it. Today i still have to say that it do contain some beautiful scenes, the locations are gorgeous and the music is brilliant.

But that cannot outweigh all the historical inaccuracies and the many flaws in decorum and etiquette. I also think the plot is really rushed to squeeze it all down to 2 hours and as a result the characters are outlined more harshly than they should be. 
Actually I am not able to see it as an actual adaption of the novel Pride & Prejudice today; I see it more as a romantic movie in a semi historical setting where the plot and actors have some similarities to those in Austen’s work.

The ultimate adaption: 1995 FOREVER!!! Was there ever any doubt? I don’t think they will ever be able to make a new adaption nearly as good as this one.

Sense & Sensibility

1995: Something I really love about this version is that it manages to keep the light mood the book has, despite it being a very emotinal story. I also think the acting is brilliant - from the leads and down to the minor characters the casting is so good. The music is a story in itself - so pretty. And I gotta say I am impressed how much of the plot they managed to press down to 2 hours without it feeling rushed.

At the same time they have cut out smal parts of the story and some of the minor characters.  I understand why it was done but it is still a shame. And then there is the general opinion that the actors were too old to play the characters, though it never bothered me.

2008: In this version I think the actresses playing Ellinor and Marianne in particular do a great job. The fact that it has all the characters is also in favour of this version. (Including Miss Steele's older sister was the best descicion ever made!) 

But despite it being a 3 hour series it still omits a lot of the story in favour of scenes that wasn't even in the book, or scenes from the book completely altered. The general mood of the story is also very dark, underlined with a lot of scenes showing bad weather. And then there is the thing with the highly inappropiate introduction scene, which after my opinion has nothing to do in a Jane Austen movie.

The ultimate adaption: Definitely the 1995 version!! No further explanation needed.



Emma

1996(movie): I really liked the visual in this movie, from the locations down to the dresses and hairstyles it was just beautiful. Among the actors I particularly liked the one playing  Mr. Knightley and think he did a great job portraying him. There were also a lot of small funny moments and remarks that while not in the book were still very enjoyable.

It was easy to see though, that it was a Hollywood adaption, they sadly changed the dialogue in some scenes (Knightley's proposal for instance) in order, I think, to make it more romantic for the viewers.
Also, the movie didn't have time for all the nuances of the book, leading to the characters being exaggeratedly played and some of the dialogue being way too direct in order to save time. 

1996: When I watched this one I was surprised how good it actually was. The characters are cast beautifully and really well played, and it is very true to the plot in the book.

However, many of the plotlines feel quite rushed through and that is really a shame for it flattens the story a bit. And I don't think the ending scene would ever have taken place like that in the Regency time period (though I may be wrong).

2009: How do I describe this adaption in a way that does it justice? It is simply brilliant! I love the way it really deepens the characters and make us see beneath the surface of them - partly due to the script and partly to the wonderful acting performances. It keeps the tone light and follows the dialogue and plot very closely to the book, but manages to never leave you bored or waiting for the plot to proceed. And did I mention the wonderful soundtrack?

Some might say that Emmas manners and way of holding herself is a bit too modern for the time - and that is completely true, though it is mostly in the first episode, and something I barely notice later on.

The ultimate adaption: 2009!!! Again, was there any doubt? I love that version to the point that if I had to choose between reading the book and watching the series, I would choose the series. (A dangerous thing to say, I know, but that is how much I love it.)

Mansfield Park

1983: This is by far the adaption that is  most faithful to the book. It follows the plotpoints and the dialogue in all details – and due to the length it actually has time for it all and avoids rushing some of the plotlines. The actress playing Fanny does a splendid job – she really hits the right combination of sweetness and complaiance without making the character flat. And Lady Bertram – she is just hilarious. I think the only actor I didn’t like was the one playing Edmund – he looked far too old.

However I didn’t really feel the story as in the book, and as it often is the case with BBC dramas from the 80’s it is more like a play being recorded than an actual movie so it felt a bit drawn out at times.

2007: This adaption really managed to make me feel the story. The actors did a good job of showing their characters with more nuances, just as they are described in the book.

On the other hand it is very different from the book. It leaves out the huge passages including the whole Portsmouth part, changes the ball to a picnic and depicts Fannys character quite differently than in the book. 

The ultimate adaption: THERE ISN'T ONE!!! None of the 2 adaptions managed to capture the mood of the book as well as staying true to it. We really need for someone to make a new adaption of this one.

Northanger Abbey

1986: This adaption is just plain disturbing. Firstly they have completely misunderstood the whole "parody" aspect and made it as an actual Gothic romance. Then they have added characters and scenes that are not in the book - something I find really unnecessary. I watched it one time and that was enough.

2007: What I really like about this one is the way it catches the light and satiric mood of the story. Many of the authoress’ remarks are included, and Catherine’s character is really depicted very well. Also I have never seen a better Mr. Tilney (and I don't think I will).

On the other hand there are a few scenes I don’t think belong in a Jane Austen movie and because they weren’t even hinted at in the book it bothers me greatly. They also make some of the scenes switch places (not a major sin, but still...)

The Ultimate adaption: The 2007 version is definitely the best, and I think with just a few adjustments to the script it could have been the best one ever.

Persuasion

1995: This adaption is beautifully made and it is very true to Austen in its depiction of the society and manners. It follows the book quite well and I really like the 2 actors playing Anne and Wentworth.

It can, however, be a bit confusing at times if you are not well known with the story, because you have to read all the characters thoughts from the acting - I had no problem doing it, but it kind of removes a layer of the story that way.  

2007: In this adaption I think the actors do a tremendous job - I especially like all the supporting characters. It also manages to get a lot of Anne's thoughts into the plot which gives a much better insight to her character. Not to mention the beautiful piano theme.

But I feel they have made the adaption a bit too "modern". The, at times, shaky picture was quite distracting, the manners of the characters seemed too informal and the general mood in the movie was just too bleak for my taste.
Then there's the fact that I felt like they rushed or minimised each scene that didn't center around Anne and Wentworth, which gave a slighly warped impression of the plot. And the whole ending scene was just confusing.

The Ultimate adaption: It must be the 1995 version. I think both versions are really good, but the 1995 just feels closer to the style of a Jane Austen adaption. 



So there you have it...my highly biased opinions on the different adaptions.

What do you think of the adaptions in existence?
Which ones do you prefer?
I am eager to know!

Pemberley piano cover

Today and tomorrow is in the sign of period dramas and one thing I generally love about period dramas is the music.

When I hear a beautiful piece of music in a movie I always end up spending a lot of time finding the sheet music so I can play it myself.

I have been so lucky as to find a collection of sheet music from some of the Jane Austen adaptions, and have been playing it most vigorously lately (getting in the mood), so I decided to share a cover I made of the Pemberley theme from P&P 1995.

Best music in period dramas

It is no secret many period dramas contain a lot of very beautiful music. Thus when I started outlining this post, I realised, I couldn't possibly have it all in just one post. As a result this post in purely dedicated to adaptions of Jane Austen's works.

Sense & Sensibility (1995)
Well - where to start. All the music in this movie is so beautiful, but I have to say my definite favourite is this one:

 My fathers favourite

I don't know exactly why, but that piece just touches something in me. And it fits so beautifully into the scene, where it's played. And some of it is played by a single piano - so I can play it myself.

I also love the songs Marianne sings in the movie. The lyrics were actually real poems from the time period, that the composer made music for. You can hear them here and here.

Another favourite is the piece Combe Magna which is very dramatic - and I have a weakness for dramatic music.

Pride & Prejudice (1995)
This is a completely different style of music. Where the above mentioned are more grand orchestral pieces, the ones in this series are more simple - but still brilliant.

Of course there is always the intro theme, which is almost iconic for any lover of this series.
I don't think I have one single piece that I like above the others, for they are so varied so I often shift between which ones I like the best. Though a piece I really love at the time is the Pemberley theme - it is just so beautiful and builds up to such a beautiful climax.

Other than that is worth mentioning Double wedding (a nice reprise of the general theme), Canon Collins (the style just fits the character so well) and Lydia's Wedding (again - a dramatic piece)


Pride & Prejudice (2005)
When I first listened to the soundtrack of this movie, what struck me the most was that almost all the pieces were played at the piano, and i truly admired the incredibly talented pianist.
I always think it gives a certain beauty when music is very simple, it often underlines the mood of a scene much better.
In this one my absolute favourite is Liz on top of the world. It just has such a dreamy feeling to it.

But again the movie is filled with gorgeous music. Just take Dawn, Georgiana, Leaving Netherfield and Credits to mention a few.



Emma (2009)
The last period drama to feature in this post and also the newest one. I simply love all the music in this series. Though most of it serves best as background music to subconsciously better the mood, there are one or two pieces that stand out in particular.
The Last Dance is one of them:

It takes the theme used many times throughout the series and turns it into this sweet dance melody, which coincidentally is also used in one of the best scenes of the entire series.
The other dance The Ships Cook is also a favourite of mine.
But otherwise, pieces like Emma Woodhouse is borne and Mr Knightley's walk are great for when you wanna listen to something beautiful, but don't want the music to distract you too much.


So that was some of my favourite soundtrack music. I have a lot more, but I will save it for later posts. Do you have some favourites in the movies of this post, that i have forgotten to mention?

My favourite rereads

When I have read a book, it will almost always fit into one of 3 categories:
1. The book was good/bad, and now I can say I have read it, but I will never open it again.
2. I enjoyed reading this, and I'll probably read it again eventually.
3. Those books that can be reread an indefinite amount of times and never lose their charm - even though I know every detail of the plot.

As you might guess, not many books makes it into category 3 - but the few that does......need I say more?

This is some of the books that I have read so many times, that I won't even try to count it.

The Mysterious Island
This one is actually the first classic I ever read, and it will always have a special place in my heart. It's a story about 5 men who strand on a desolate island, and start up a new life. I have a weakness for cast away stories, where the characters must start from scratch, so this one is an obvious favourite. And then later on mysterious things starts to happen on the island (hence the title), so there's excitement and tension. And for the hardcore Jules Verne fan, there is the unexpected but welcome references to some of his other books. So there's nothing bad to say about this book, and I'll admit I have sometimes started reading it, even though I had only just finished it. You can't do that with many books.

Settlers in Canada

Another great book from the time when the only classics I read, was the ones I could find in my parents collection. This is a story about a family from England, who loses their fortune, and then emigrate to Canada to start a new life. Again, I love stories about people who have to start over. The story is exciting and full of drama, and there is a wide range of different characters and personalities. Nothing more to say - it's just a great book.

Anne of Green Gables
Ever since I read this the first time, I was hooked. One book wasn't enough - I had to read all 8 of them. The story about orphan Anne Shirley with the vivid imagination, who makes friends everywhere, and gets in all kinds of mischief, is just a masterpiece. I love the way L.M. Montgomery turns an ordinary life, in an ordinary village into an adventure. How she portrays all the little vignettes and anecdotes, that makes a life. I simply can't express how much I love these books. I always end up reading it at least once a year - sometimes the entire series, and sometimes only the first few books. But if it's possible I enjoy it even more every time I read it anew. Lovely...just lovely.

Little Women
This is another book that I truly, truly love. The touching story about the 4 sisters who struggle to be good and selfless. It is quite obvious that the book was meant to educate young women - it is full of lessons on how to be good, but luckily not in a patronizing way. The characterizations are beautifully done, and the story is heartfelt and true. And this book is unique in another way to me - it's the only book to date, that makes me cry every single time I read it (which is quite a feat, for I don't do crying). 




Pride and Prejudice
That this one is at the bottom of the list, doesn't mean it's my least favourite. It's just the newest addition to my list, and the only one I actually still remember how many times I've read (5 or 6 times I think - it's a little blurry). But it's a classic, that can't be read to many times. I admit my approach to this one is a bit different. I don't normally read it from start to end, rather I reread my favourite passages, which ends up in me reading almost the entire book - though a little backwards. I love how every time I read it, I notice new details in the story, new nuances to the characters, and understand the story better.



This is a few of those books I can always read, if anything else fails. And I often find that I miss the stories if I haven't read them in a while - as I'm starting to do now as I write of them. It's such a hard choice now: should I start reading one of my new projects, or just reread an old beloved favourite?

Classical music in period dramas

Do you know that moment in a period drama where someone starts to play the piano, and you think:
WOW, this is the most amazing piece ever, what is it called, I wanna find it and listen to it forever, find the sheet music and play it myself over and over and over?

Yeah..it's happened to me a few times...or maybe a lot of times.

Some of my favourite classical music I had never heard of before, and then it was in a movie, and I was thinking: Where have this been all my life?

My absolute favourite right now is this one from The Young Victoria

It's called the Swan Song (or Serenade) and is written by Schubert. The theme is used in the movie, when Albert is thinking of Victoria, from afar. It fits perfectly in the mood of those scenes, and then it is just altogether beautiful. I'm trying to play it myself, but it is a bit harder than you would think - but the struggle will definitely be worth it.

Another piece I love, is one i discovered the last time, I watched Pride & Prejudice (1995). It's the piece Georgiana plays at Pemberley, where Darcy and Elizabeth share a tender moment. Again the music is perfect for underlining the scene, but it is also a very nice piece in itself.

 It's called Andante Favori (or Andante in F major) and is written by Beethoven, if anyone is interested.

The country dances in P&P are wonderful too. There are links to all of them at The Republic of Pemberley, but my favourite to play myself is this one:

Some times I am a bit surprised to find which pieces are originally written for the movie, and which ones are actual period music. In Pride & Prejudice (2005) I was certain, that the music Elizabeth and Darcy danced to was specifically written for that scene. And I was very disappointed not to find the sheet music in the soundtrack. But after some research and a brief visit to Imdb, I discovered it was actually a variation of the Abdelazer Rondo. Who would have guessed it? Now I can finally play that one too.

So, yeah...it can be a bit trying sometimes to track down all the music I hear in period dramas, and even harder to find sheet music to it. But I guess that's what you get, when you just have to play the pieces yourself.

So, this was a few of my classical favourites in period dramas.
I'll probably do a post some other time completely dedicated to some of the best original music made for period dramas.