The Legend of Bagger Vance: Music from the Motion Picture (2000 Film) [SOUNDTRACK] [IMPORT]

Rachel Portman

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 7, 2000)
• Original Release Date: November 7, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack, Import
• Label: Chapter III Records
• ASIN: B0000508VR
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #94,236 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Robert Redford's fable of a cynical, young, white war veteran (Matt Damon) learning the perfect golf swing--and the meanings of life--from a mysterious black caddy (Will Smith) is typically rich in subtexts, from racial discrimination to armchair existential philosophy. As she did for the period dramaThe Cider House Rules, English composer Rachel Portman imbues Vance with an American sense of time and place. Bookended by the bluesy jazz of Fats Waller, Mugsy Spanier, and Duke Ellington, Portman's elegant orchestral score is rich in powerful brass and string-driven melody and emotional nuances. Portman once again displays a strong affinity for the plaintive resolve and emotionally longing colors of Aaron Copland's most familiar works, and there are moments here that subtly evoke passages of that composer's Lincoln Portrait. It's a fine irony of modern film that one of Copland's spiritual heirs and most effective practitioners of his essentially male American musical ethos is a soft-spoken Englishwoman. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Magic of Bagger Vance!, November 10, 2000

By	"dilinator" (Lansing, Michigan USA) - See all my reviews

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"!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is my favorite CD, November 3, 2001

By A Customer

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.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely stunning!, November 10, 2000

By	David Bernazani (Manassas, VA USA) - See all my reviews

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.)