Customer Reviews

The E. M. Forster Trilogy (A Room with a View · Maurice · Howards End)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Richard Robbins provides one of the most important ingredients to any Merchant/Ivory production: luscious, haunting, melancholy music. Robbins' extraordinary ability to compose music which so compliments the drama is a rare gift. I was thrilled when I came across this CD set while browsing and it does not disappoint. Whether you are a fan of the novels of EM Forster or the film adaptations by Merchant/Ivory - or just someone who loves beautiful music - this is a wonderful gift for yourself.

I have loved the music while watching the films. And I have been on a mad chase the last couple of years to find any copies on CD of "A Room With A View" and "Maurice" to no avail (it had been to long.) But to have them both released together and with "Howards End" as well, I was ecstatic!! Maurice is my favorite, but they are all very good. And if you are fans of the films, you might be suprised how much the music contributed to these wonderful films. And yes, I am a confessed E. M. Forster fan and I think the combo. of Merchant, Ivory and Robbins couldn't be more perfect.

Before I set out to write my own remarks of this spectacular collection, I read through the other reviews and realized that "tdewey" hit the nail on the head precisely. MAURICE prevails as the best of the three, especially with its haunting choral track (#5) and the opening theme that reverberates with emotion. As for A ROOM WITH A VIEW, track #2 is a magnificent orchestral rendition of track #1. In fact, it is a variation that epitomizes Robbins's ability to take something that is already terribly beautiful and turn it into something twice as powerful and mesmerizing.

There are few truly original composers alive today. Ryuichi Sakamoto is one. Angelo Badalamenti is another. Robbins has earned his rightful place among them.

La musica di Robbins è assolutamente indimenticabile per la capacita di scendere nel profondo dell'animo; cosi intima e commovente sottolinea, anche con poche note, ogni stato d'animo, con estrema eleganza.
Maurice è un capolavoroassoluto; A Room with A Wiew, descrive grazie agli adattamenti da Puccini, l'amore sereno, mentre Howard Ends,emozioni più drammatiche e dolenti!! Comunque una splendida e preziosa raccolta, degno omaggio per un superbo compositore!!

Maurice is the has the best original music of the three CDs in this set(Tracks 5,11 and 13 being my favorite) my only complaint--track 13 is too short! The RWaV CD has the two wonderful Arias sung by Kiri Te Kanawa in addition to Mr. Robbins very good original score. By comparison Howard's End doesn't quite measure up. Well worth the purchase.

I only know Room With A View. It's fantastic! I've seen the other 2 films, but can't recall music in either one, sorry. Spend the money for Room alone!

More and more I find myself drawn to movie soundtracks. This box set of the soundtracks from the three Merchant Ivory adaptations of E. M. Forster is a feast of mood and color. Of the three movies, "A Room with a View" is the film that got me hooked on Merchant Ivory and any actor involved in any of their films. (It also got me hooked on E. M. Forster novels!) Richard Robbins consistently finds the right piece for the right event, and he borrows liberally from other composers for dramatic effectiveness. "Room" uses Puccini's opera "Gianni Schicchi" to wonderful effect to evoke Florence (The opera is a comedy that takes place in rennaissance Florence), and moves to the big aria from "La Rondine" for the fateful kiss (The Italian text, all about love's first kiss, is so appropriate here. The final lines: "Oh golden dream! To be able to love like that!") "Maurice" borrows liberally from Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony (for the pianola, and for essential reprises), a gay composer for a gay romance. "Howards End" borrows in spots from two composers: Beethoven (the scherzo from the Fifth Symphony) and the piano music of Percy Grainger. (Martin Jones, the pianist in the film, has recorded an album of the complete piano works of Percy Grainger, available on Amazon. Check out the listening samples - it's quite dazzling.) "Bridal Lullaby" is used for the opening titles and for Margaret's arrival at the house, and establishes a mood both romantic and poignant. (And, viewing the movie again and knowing the entire story, watching Ruth Wilcox wander through her domain, observing its inhabitants from the outside as though she came from another world - well, those first few simple chords brought tears to my eyes. And, somehow, still do.) The piece for the closing credits is a piano/orchestral arrangement of Grainger's "Mock Morris." (And now, thanks to that, I've developed an interest in the piano music of Percy Grainger!) Richard Robbins artfully weaves all of these pieces into the fabric of each drama with great style.

Since everyone seems to be comparing the three soundtracks as to good/better/best, I think all three are wonderful for different reasons. "Room" is the most evocative; "Maurice" the most rhapsodic; and "Howards End" the most moody (also the most Phillip Glass-like in several moments). But of the three as albums, "Maurice" does have the edge - the whole thing feels like a complete tone poem unto itself. Robbins accomplishes this by framing the score with two versions of the same musical theme. For the opening credits, the tune seems only half formed, tinged in a minor key, wanting to express something, wanting to sing, but somehow seems suppressed; for the closing credits, the theme - now in a major key - finally has come into its own and sings with a naturally lyric abandon, ending on a triumphant note. It's a wonderful summation of the titular hero's own voyage of self-discovery and fulfillment.

So yes, if you're a fan of movie soundtracks, this set is a must-have. But don't stop there - explore the other music found within these scores as well, to enhance your appreciation of Richard Robbins and Merchant Ivory and the by-gone world they re-create.

This box set is great, especially the music for "A Room with a View." This is exquisite, elegant melody-making, combined with a great sense of atmosphere as well. This music really made the scenes in the films come to life! Now when I hear these tracks, I'm transported back to scenes in the film, like Lucy exploring Florence, or standing at th embankment of the Arno river with George, Lucy and Sistel at the "Sacred Lake" where they shared a very awkward kiss in the film (hahaha), etc etc.

Very enjoyable.

David Rehak
author of "Love and Madness"

What a great soundtrack collection! My favorite is Maurice followed closely by the Howards End disc. I'm a big fan of the E.M. Forster worx and found the music to all of the films to be an integral part of the atmosphere, standing up amazingly well on their own, while evoking the most memorable images of each. If you love romantic, sweeping, bittersweet music, you'll love this collection.

Strangely enough, I liked Howards End CD the best (I seem to be in minority), especially tracks #4,5,11,12 - I loved the pieces where Leonard takes his all day and night walk... Maurice - I really only was extatic about the chore piece (i think #5), and Room - the opera piece Puccini - I loved it the most. Still Howards End I find the most powerful and moving...