Rachel Portman delivers in 'Snow Flower' film score

The wonderful thing about soundtracks is that, when done right, they tell the film’s story entirely through music. The score for Snow Flower and the Secret Fan does just that, and ranks among Academy Award-winning composer Rachel Portman’s best work— Emma in 1995, Chocolat in 2000 and The Joy Luck Club in 1993.

The instrumentals are beautiful, and fittingly create very picturesque feeling for a movie following the story of two girls bonded together as lifelong friends in 19th century China (based on the novel by Lisa See). The score starts out lightly, with a very relaxing melody. Just a few tracks in however, it turns into more of a sad tune, and it is here that it stays until the very end. While this definitely isn’t for those seeking something upbeat and inspiring, the Snow Flower score more than warrants a listen or two because of its sheer beauty.

The movie, which was released in the United States this summer, did not fare too well at the box office or even among the critics, but the musical score is as precise and stunning as those in the more successful dramatic films— if not more so. One can really feel the emotion of the story in Portman’s work, as well as her skill as a composer.

The miraculous thing about this soundtrack is that it maintains light instrumentals throughout all of its 18 tracks. This is rare among film scores, which are most often a mix of light and heavy, and many times (depending on the intensity of the action), veer almost entirely into the heavy area. Instead, several of the tracks consist of just small groups of instruments playing unaccompanied by an entire orchestra.

It does get heavier towards the end, but the same instruments are being used and the themes and light melodies from before are still present. Not once does the Snow Flower soundtrack get too complex, and this helps it uphold its beauty throughout.