If this is love...

As a Civil War afficianado, I enjoyed Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain

(1997), the story of a North Carolina soldier who deserts from the

Confederate army and journeys back home to the woman he left

behind. That's the general synopsis; the actual book is much more

complex and layered. It's a challenging read, full of detail and nuance,

and a heartrending story; without giving away the ending, I'll simply

note that everyone doesn't live happily ever after.

As with every book I've enjoyed I made a point of seeing

Anthony Minghella's 2003 film adaptation, mostly for critical

purposes (the old saw that the film isn't as good as the book is true

here, although it isn't really bad). Some time later I purchased the

soundtrack album, which was an interesting compilation of

19th-century Appalachian stringband tunes, Sacred Harp chorales,

and the usual film score segments.

Most of the score is based on a particular piano figure that sounds

somewhat antebellum in mood, and it works fairly well. However,

one track that has confused me is "Love Theme".

What's confusing about it? Well, have a listen...

Does that sound even remotely romantic to you?!? Personally I

think it sounds more like the menacing title music for the Lord of the

Rings trilogy. If I heard that in the midst of a love scene betwen

Inman (Jude Law) and Ada (Nicole Kidman), I'd wonder if they were

about to be set upon by a band of orcs!

Perhaps Minghella was watching too much Rebecca when he

composed this part of the score, confusing the macabre with the

sensuous.

Anyway, I'd like to suggest renaming this piece: "Melancholy Theme".