Amazon.co.uk
Echoing the intents of the successful James Barrie biopic
Neverland, the tale of fellow Victorian children's author Beatrix Potter frames her life through a distinctly modern prism. In this telling, the creator of Peter Rabbit shrugs off provincial restraints to become something akin to a feminist environmentalist, a notion that's deftly underscored in this hybrid orchestral soundtrack by Australian Nigel Westlake and Oscar-winning vet Rachel Portman. The former's cues tend towards shimmering washes of strings and winds, weaving a wintry atmosphere that's more wondrous than treacly, while Portman's three contributions are cast in more shaded, autumnal arrangements that suggest the interior struggles of Potter herself. The coda to this delicate, compelling suite is Katie Melua's haunting ballad "When You Taught Me How to Dance," a slice of gentle melancholy that serves the score well.
--Jerry McCulley