Shaun DAVEY
The Abduction Club
OST Music performed by the Irish Film Orchestra conducted by David Brophy
This film about youngest sons of well-to-do Irishmen, by-passed in the inheritance stakes, and forced to abduct young heiresses to charm them into marriage was universally condemned by the critics so it is pleasing to report that the score has its charms.
The opening title track, as might be expected, embraces much of the thematic material of the score. Slightly menacing figures and sharp percussive bangs quickly give way to a string melody redolent of Irish folk song. Then the tempo quickens to a swaggering march followed by baroque- piano concerto-style music reminiscent of John Field (Dublin born composer 1782-1837) and Mozart. These are the basic building blocks of an agreeable score that also embraces a pastiche of Irish hunting music for the chase sequences; and, in cues such as 'Strang's Leap' (with Irish bagpipes prominent), 'Flight to Arklow' and 'Eve of Departure', material that at times sounds like a pastoral Tubular Bells. Characterful, humorous music underlines 'Repulse of Marriage Proposals': the ladies clearly petulant and indignant 'Love Declared' has a gentle dreamy glow, 'Death Sentence' has some novel touches with imaginative use of tubular bells and cello before more hackneyed 'march to the scaffold' music. It's all resolved in joyful celebration with the final 'Farewell to Glasscrossan'. An amiable score with some novelty but with overuse of some of the more strongly rhythmic action material.
Ian Lace
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