Composing Greatness: #2. Rachel Portman - "The Cider House Rules" (1999)

Welcome to Composing Greatness: a column dedicated to exploring the work of film composers. This will specifically focus on the films that earned them Oscar nominations while exploring what makes it so special. This will be broken down into a look at the overall style, interesting moments within the composition, and what made the score worth nominating in the first place. This will also include various subcategories where I will rank the themes of each film along with any time that the composer actually wins. This is a column meant to explore a side of film that doesn't get enough credit while hopefully introducing audiences to an enriched view of more prolific composers' work. This will only cover scores/songs that are compiled in an easily accessible format (so no extended scores will be considered). Join me every Sunday as I cover these talents that if you don't know by name, you recognize by sound.

Series Composer: Rachel Portman

Entry: The Cider House Rules (1999)

Collaborators (If Available): N/A

Nomination: Best Original Score (Musical or Comedy)

Did She Win: Yes

Other Nominees:
-The Red Violin (John Corigliano)
-American Beauty (Thomas Newman)
-Angela's Ashes (John Williams)
-The Talented Mr. Ripley (Gabriel Yared)

Additional Information

This is to help provide perspective of where each composer is in their Oscar-nominated life as it related to the current entry.

Oscar Nomination: 2

Oscar Wins: 1

Track List

1. "Main Titles"
2. "Homer's Lessons" 
3. "Young Girl's Burial"
4. "Homer Asks Wally for a Ride"
5. "Home Leaves Orphanage"
6. "The Ocean"
7. "The Cider House"
8. "Wally Goes Off to War"
9. "Lobster Dinner"
10. "Burying Fuzzy"
11. "Homer and Candy on the Dock"
12. "Rose Rose is Pregnant"
13. "Abortion"
14. "Pickers Leave"
15. "Dr. Larch Dies"
16. "Homer Returns to the Orphanage"
17. "Goodnight You Kings of New England"
18. "End Credits"

Note: Listen to here.

Exploring the Music

The area of the column where I will explore the music in as much detail as I see fit for each entry.

Theme Exploration:

"Main Titles"

If there's one thing that's refreshing about Rachel Portman so far, it's the realization that quieter scores can have just as much impact as the jauntier, bigger works that tend to get recognized. A lot of the score here is driven by a simple piano melody that is somber and quiet, capturing a nostalgic vibe that is simply pleasant to listen to. The overall experience of listening to this score is almost meditative and has the general impact of bringing the listener to someplace beautiful and pure. As a whole, this is an improvement over Emma as a composed whole, but it's still evidence that she's able to take familiar orchestral structure and produce something fresh and exciting. 

Interesting Standout:

"Lobster Dinner"

It's hard to argue that any one track stands out on this very straightforward soundtrack. Most of it gels with a singular flow, managing to capture the innocence that the tone is going for. If there was one break from the normal however, it likely came early in this track, where it seemed like things were to get jaunty and fun for just a brief moment. It was full of upbeat life that made it standout in ways that aren't exceptional, as it quickly cut back to the established melody, but still come with a compelling change. It's also a fairly short track, clocking in at under a minute, which also is rare for this particular soundtrack.

Best Moment:

"Homer's Lesson"

In all of the music that has been explored for Composing Greatness by Rachel Portman, this is quite possibly her crowning achievement yet. Sure, there's not a lot to argue against, but there's a lot to enjoy about this track that comes early in the whole affair. It has the most passionate melody, capturing the piano once again in the throes of drama wrapped in an orchestration that is just plain beautiful. It may be repeated several times throughout the remaining score, but it's for good reason. It's just one of those undeniable pieces of score that overwhelms the listener and makes the journey into the music part of a film all the more rewarding. If nothing else, this is most likely the point where Portman clinched that nomination, and all for the better.

Did This Deserve an Oscar Nomination?:
Yes

Rachel Portman is a composer that I'm not too familiar with, but she is a reflection on the category's ability to produce quieter scores that still have a power. There's nothing loud or bombastic about this piece of music, but it still manages to stick with the listener, capturing the earnest joy that comes with the swaying melody and nostalgic tone that most composers wish that they could capture this correctly. With all of that said, this is further evidence that Portman's work is underrated and deserves more recognition because it has an emotional power that is undeniable, and shows that she has a way of sticking with the listener, regardless of how fast the tempo or quiet the strings actually are.

Up Next: Chocolat (2000) for Best Original Score

Best Theme

A ranking of all themes composed by Rachel Portman.
1. "Main Titles" - The Cider House Rules (1999)
2. "Main Titles" - Emma (1996)

Best Winner

A ranking of all winners composed by Rachel Portman
1. Emma (1996) for Best Original Score (Musical or Comedy)