Little Lovely #2: The Pride & Prejudice Soundtrack

Ah, the English moors....

It's not easy to think of things that can conjure up synesthetic emotions of love's first enchanting and often hysterical breath. It's not even easy to think of things that will simply make the sig other happy enough to not feel jipped out of a romantic Valentine's sometimes, so let's not delude ourselves and delve a little deeper into the well of possibilities that is Brenda's semi-focused "little lovely" blog feature, and maybe come up with some decent choices, shall we? :)

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Little Lovely #2: The Pride & Prejudice Soundtrack

Bombastic introduction aside, I don't really pretend to know much about what will make you or the rest of the world happy, at all, much less as much as it does me, but Little Lovely #2 is something that makes me extremely happy, in a quiet, warm, lasting way. And it was also incidentally a gift I received from the good old husband one Christmas, which makes it more romantic somehow.

It's the Pride & Prejudice Soundtrack (yes, from the new-ish movie with Keira Knightley). For those of you loyal to the BBC, I hear and feel ya. But I can't get past Mr. Darcy in this version. And let's face it - it is good. REAL good. Put your judgmental doubts aside - I can smell them all the way from London, dude, - and read my list of reasons why it's lovely enough to consider getting and listening to this CD this Valentine's Day.

Top 4 Reasons the Pride & Prejudice Soundtrack is Lovely
said in that uniquely British accent-y kind of way

4. Mr. Darcy *bubbly heart spouting*
Two words: Matthew Macfadyen. I don't care who you are and where you're from - if this music doesn't conjure up impossibly romantic and dreamy scenes of Matthew "hunka-hunka-burnin'-love" Macfadyen walking in the foggy (steamy?!) moors for you, there's something very wrong.

And if you're not a Macfadyen fan, then, well, two more words: Colin Firth. (Or should I say "Mark Darcy?" :) )


3. Soundtracks are Underrated
CDs are so passee. Or so the world of cybernerds and mp3 hoarding college students would have you think.

On a scale of 1 (stupidly confident) to 10 (super ridiculous), how lame would you feel going into a music store (wait do those still exist?) and buying this CD for your Valentine?

If you're a girl, I'd say you'd be in the lower part of the spectrum because girls tend to be stupidly confident about any and all amorous gifts, no matter how wrong and unmanly they might be.

If you're a guy, I'd say you SHOULD be a 1 or 2 (if your Valentine is the kind of girl I'd be friends with, anyway), but will probably be feeling at around a 9 or 10. Sweat it out. This gift is worth it. Especially if given with a combination home-cooked meal and some awesome flowers. :D


2. Piano: the Musical Voice of Love
As cheesey and lame as that sounds, I truly believe it is a fact. I can imagine no more soul-stirring type of music than a piano solo, or particularly clear, slow and beautiful piano melody. Both things are copiously and generously taken advantage of in the Pride & Prejudice soundtrack. Not only do they make the perfect accompaniment to the film, but to life itself, and that, to me, is the mark of true musical genius.

There has been many a day that I've found myself humming these enchanting melodies inside my head, rain, shine, love or fight. Sheer, absolute and delectable madness, I know. But if Jean-Yves Thibaudet's savant-esque piano playing be the food of love, then play on...


1. Classical Music Never Dies...
...like YOUR LOVE! (get it? get it?) *shameless grin*

But in all seriousness, there is a timeless quality to this soundtrack that is rarely found in, well, any music, these days.

With Jive Records shoving the likes of "Crossroads" down our throats, even the non-classical music loving have to admit that Dario Marinelli's Pride & Prejudice is a masterpiece.

Despite having been composed by a modern composer (an inherent flaw, IMHO), this music lacks the predictably off-key, plucking-obsessed, minor-chord-driven- David Diamond-esque attempt at originality which makes only the most desperately "post-modern" ear "sing." Instead, it is actually original in that Marianelli uses time-tested methods (major chords, pleaseant refrains, subtle and evocative dynamics) to create a truly time-surpassing combination of melodies which draw you into the story even further than Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy already do.

Further proof that it is, after all, true what they say: "A thing of beauty is a joy forever..."
(Thanks, Keats.)

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Other aesthetically pleasing shots of the English Moors.

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This little lovely is brought to you by...itself. Check out my favorite piano solo on the Pride & Prejudice soundtrack here or below.