Historical drama at its best
Max Richter
Mary Queen of Scots
Rating: (4.5 / 5)
Deutsche Grammophon
19/12/2018
TT: 58:32
I have a strong love/relationship with Max Richter’s music. I cannot find a middle ground with him. I get bored to death when he gets stuck on his minimalistic ambiental style of music. Even when he tries to get into the modern film scoring sounds, it tends to rely too much on the repetitive and less original side of things. However, oh my when he hits the melodic and drama button! All bets are off and the only thing I can do is let me enjoy the music. That is one thing that I have to give it to him: even on his ambiental scores, there is always (at least) one moment when the music flows beautifully. Just listen to “White Boy Rick” and you will understand what I try to explain.
“Mary Queen of Scots” is, simply put, the best example of what makes Max Richter great in film scoring. And that includes his “experimental” side! The reason why director Josie Rourke chose Richter was that her vision for the film’s score was inspired by Richter’s “Recomposed Vivaldi: Four Seasons”, which broke down that famous piece, reassembling it with a modern sensibility. That is exactly what Rourke does with her film, with Richter taking a gender-based approach to his evocative score, which was recorded at London’s AIR Studios with a 110-piece orchestra and the London Voices choir. And the results show.
Regarding that “gender-based” approach that I mention, the result is wonderful. The masculine side of the story has a background position. As the canvas of a painting. That is the same function on the score. That powerful percussion permeates the whole score, giving it a gravitas and drama to the whole. However, is not just repetitive or a tool. It is varied and with specific functions. Therefore, we are going to find field drums going into battle, executioner drums following a dead-man (woman)-walking, or even Renaissance drums powering the melodic bits of the music. Just hearing a piece like “The Wedding” it makes you wonder if such a, supposedly, celebratory moment could be done more dramatically.
Nevertheless, the focus is on their main female characters, Mary and Elizabeth. And in there, the music flows much more delicate and warm. “The Hilltop” or “A New Generation” are brilliant examples of it. Although probably many of the listeners will enjoy the wonderful rendition that the choir does with Thomas Tallis’ “If Ye Love Me”. Almost liturgical in its execution, but filled with emotion. The (at least for me) scottish theme, is the most memorable one. I do not know for sure, but it seems to play as a “love for the land” kind of motive, which is what actually all characters and their actions have in common. Although in very different ways. But it does not matter. Be it at its introduction in “The Shores of Scotland” or the wonderful and conclusive “A New Generation”, the results are more than enjoyable.
One thing I can say, which is something one can easily feel after repeated listens, is that the score is quite dark as a whole. But it is full of brilliant moments. Be it drama, like in “The Assassination”, or a great recap of everything heard through the music, like in “Finale”. At least to me, I can definitively say that is one of Max Richter more mature and enjoyable scores he has penned for film. And that, is saying a lot.
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