Search - Rachel Portman, Fats Waller, Mugssy Spanier :: The Legend of Bagger Vance: Music from the Motion Picture (2000 Film)

The Magic of Bagger Vance!

dilinator | Lansing, Michigan USA | 11/10/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I must first say that this is the third score of Rachel Portman's that I have, and she keeps getting better every time! The first I got was "Emma", which is nice orchestal music, and pleasant to listen to. However, it all seemed pretty much the same, with little depth and life to it. I hardly listen to it anymore. The next I got, "The Cider House Rules", was much better, and had more depth and emotion to it. It is one that I have listened to on a fairly regular basis, and really enjoy.So, when I read from anpother reputable film score reviewer (Probably the same one as the reviewer mentions below) that this was even better, and was in fact one of the best he'd heard, I looked forward to listening to it. I actually saw the movie first, and loved the music in the movie, and it made the movie, in so many ways. When I listened to the score I had to agree: this is one of the best scores I've ever heard, and that's from almost 150! It is much more full of depth, life, and emotion than even "The Cider House Rules" was, and the main theme is very beautiful! Another thing about this score that is different than Portman's previous scores, is the different themes in it. Generally she only uses one main theme and variations in her scores, but that is not the case here. It does still sound like Rachel Portman though, who, for all the talk about James Horner re-hashing his own scores, does much more of that than Horner even does. But I do not consider that a negative. I look at it like the growth of a child into an adult: you go from being a kid, to a teen, to an adult, but you still look very similar to how you did when you were a kid, and you're still pretty much the same. It's a matter of maturity, and that's what I see here in Rachel Portman's music. "Emma" is like the "Kid", "The Cider House Rules" is like the "Teen", and "The Legend of Bagger Vance" is like the "Adult", mature. We are seeing the maturing of Rachel Portman as a composer, and her music reflects that. I could go into details of the music, and what it sounds like, but you should really hear that for yourself, because I can't do it justice. It IS very introspective and inspirational, and I definitely recommend getting this score if you like music at all. It's not just one I listen to a lot, it's right up there among the top of my list of favorites. The only thing keeping me from saying it's the best score of the year is the beautiful and inspiring masterpiece that was John Williams' "The Patriot", from earlier this year. But two 5 star + scores in one year is pretty amazing, and "The Patriot"'s greatness does nothing to diminish the greatness that is "The Legend of Bagger Vance"!"

This is my favorite CD

dilinator | 11/03/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I purchased this CD to find a music selection for my daughter's skating routine. I had previously purchased "Cider House Rules" soundtrack and thoroughly enjoyed it, so we purchased this after listening to the samples on Amazon.com. This soundtrack has to be the best one I have heard! I watched the movie after I had listened to the CD, and I must say that Rachel Portman's music brings the movie to a whole new emotional level. I, too, wonder why this was not nominated for an Oscar. Rachel Portman has that special gift to communicate through her music. I look forward to purchasing more of her works."

Absolutely stunning!

David Bernazani | 11/10/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Simply put, this soundtrack will take your breath away. I'm not a student of music history, and I don't know about "emotional nuances" or "plaintive resolve". I just know that I got chills when I listened to the beautiful score. Rachel Portman really outdid herself this time-- and that takes some doing, considering she's written such great music for other movies like Sirens, Emma and Cider House Rules. I would rank her works equal or above even that of such great composers as John Barry, Michael Kamen, and Hans Zimmer. I loved the music while watching the movie, but sometimes you really can't fully appreciate it until you listen to the soundtrack only. When I did, I liked it even more! Way to go, Rachel! (And kudos to Robert Redford for selecting her.)"