RELATIVE VALUES

JOHN DEBNEY

Rating:

Original Review:: Light jazz is a musical genre John Debney has never explored before - and the surprising thing is that he's very, very good at it. With gossamer-like orchestral touches, a continually perky beat and a hefty dose of good humour, Debney's score for the new British comedy Relative Values is a delightfully unexpected change of pace from the man behind the marauding Cutthroat Island and the apocalyptic End of Days.

Relative Values is a comedy of errors and manners based on the classic Noël Coward play and directed by Eric Styles (Dreaming of Joseph Lees). Featuring a wonderful ensemble cast that includes Julie Andrews, William Baldwin, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Colin Firth and Stephen Fry, Relative Values is set in Kent during the 1950s, at a time when the well-bred aristocracy were finally realising that the social class system they had so rigorously maintained was coming to an end. One such upper-crust establishment, Marshwood Hall, is thrown into disarray when lord of the manor Nigel Marshwood (Edward Atterton) returns home from America with a new fiancee in tow - movie star Miranda Frayle (Tripplehorn), much to the dismay of Nigel's mother, the lady of the house, Felicity (Andrews). Things get even worse when it transpires that Miranda is, in fact, the long lost sister of Marshwood's head maid Moxie (Sophie Thompson) - a problem confounded by the subsequent arrival of Miranda's former beau, matinee idol Don Lucas (Baldwin).

Capturing equally the film's timeframe as well as its sense of whimsy, Debney's music is light, quietly romantic and unashamedly feelgood in nature. Debney's main theme, written for strings and a jazz ensemble with special emphasis on electric guitars and muted brasses, is a catchy affair with a finger-snapping tempo, a lush orchestral bridge, and some innovative but rather peculiar synth/vocal effects intoning "doo-doos" under the music. It's most prominent performances, in the opening and closing 'Relative Values' cues, come across almost like something John Barry or Ennio Morricone might have written during their 1960s heydey - resolutely European-sounding in nature, but with an intoxicating and, dare I say it, "cheesy" overtone that puts a grin on your face from beginning to end.

The score's love theme, given its most rapturous outing in 'The Kiss' is a traditional delight, with soaring strings and a delicate piano solo that melts the heart. Further performances of the piano element, particularly in 'Goodbyes', leave a similarly positive impression, highlighting Debney's versatility and little-known knack for writing attractive, understated romantic music. Similarly attractive themes, in 'Romance in 7/8' and 'Rumba and Romance' allow Debney the chance to showcase his flamboyant techniques, bathing the score in a combination of intelligent rhythms and Latin temperament, while 'B Movies' is Debney at his self-deprecating best, lampooning the lot of the film music composer with cliched western themes and far-too-overblown melodrama.

I should also make a point of highlighting the wonderful performances of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, whose crystal clear tones bring Debney's music to life, especially during the jazzier and more upbeat sections. I know I have a vested interest in the RPO, but I don't care. The score is mixed good and loud, and miked closely so that every nuance in the performance is clearly audible. I love the Esther Williams-style pizzicato violins and ultra-rapid bongos that run through 'Miranda's Theme', the tiny piano embellishments of 'The Kiss', and when the trumpets rise towards the end of the final cue, I got the shivers.

Unusually, the dialogue clips that intersect the cues on Silva's album are actually quite well placed and, all in all, knock the album up a notch or two in the enjoyment stakes. Coward's biting wit has always been a source of great amusement to many, and some of the one-liners delivered by Andrews, Firth, Fry and company are very funny indeed. I especially like the "oldest story in the world", and the amusing visual imagery a film of that kind might provide, and Sophie Thompson's hilarious "so lovely to meet you" conversation with herself in the bathroom mirror.

Overall, this is a delightful change of pace for John Debney, and arguably his most attractive and enjoyable "light" score since Not Since Casanova way back in 1988. Although most of his fans still appreciate the blood and thunder of his more action packed epics - and I admit to being an ardent admirer of them myself - Relative Values proves that there is far more to John Debney than mere orchestral carnage.

Track Listing: Running Time: 40 minutes 08 seconds

Silva Screen FILMCD-337 (2000)

Music composed and conducted by John Debney. Performed by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Orchestrations by Brad Dechter and Frank Bennett. Featured musical soloists Noel Langley and Rolf Wilson. Special vocal performances by Gaye Brown, Julie Andrews, Colin Firth, Katy Stephens, Stephen Fry, Edward Atterton, Sophie Thompson, William Baldwin and Jeanne Tripplehorn. Recorded and mixed by Mike Ross-Trevor. Mastered by Gareth Williams. Album produced by John Debney and James Fitzpatrick.

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