Jocelyn Pook: The Wife
Context
The Wife is a 2017 drama film featuring Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce. The main premise of the film is following Glenn Close’s character, who questions many of her decisions after she travels to Stockholm with her husband. After positive reviews of the film, especially Close’s performance, she won the Golden Globe Award, Independent Spirit Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and the Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Actress. British composer Jocelyn Pook wrote the soundtrack for this successful film, with her music winning the 2019 Music & Sound Award for Best Original Composition in a Feature Film.
The Music
The main title for the film, also named The Wife, is set up for a string chamber ensemble. As Pook is a violist herself, the opening viola fluctuation is certainly a nod to her own craft. The gentle rocking of the accompanying lower strings makes way for the violins to play a solemn theme. The cello also enters with a rich solo line that adds a new dimension to this theme. There is a tinge of sadness threaded through the character of this piece, however the consistent accompaniment and warm harmony creates a secure and comfortable foundation.
As the music flourishes and the dynamic rises, the sparkle of percussion is heard for just a moment before the quartet takes hold once more. The warm character of this main title sets up the film effectively, with the target audience no doubt engaged for what is to come. As the piece comes to an end, the theme is played one last time before the final fluctuations fade off into silence.
Ⓒ Alex Burns
Happy Reading!
Image Source – Victoria Birkenshaw
You might also enjoy… Rachel Portman: Belle Main Titles
Recommended Recordings:
0 Comments