# The Miniaturist - Period Drama=Period Music?



## classical yorkist (Jun 29, 2017)

An excellent period drama called The Miniaturist started on BBC1 last night, set in 1686 Amsterdam but totally devoid of any period music on it's soundtrack despite the fact that the heroine of the piece is a self confessed lutenist. If I was producing a drama like this or, indeed any other period drama, I would make sure a smattering of contemporary music was included to add verisimilitude if nothing else. A harpsichord tinkling away in the score instead of the piano that was used would have brought the programme to even greater heights in my opinion. It's not a big thing but a missed opportunity.


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

I haven't seen the show, but I've sampled the soundtrack (here). I can't say I noticed much piano in there, but yeah, there's nothing there that makes me think instantly of 17th-century Amsterdam either.
I'm in two minds about this sort of thing. On the one hand, if a TV show or film goes to great lengths to accurately recreate costumes, buildings and decor of the time, then why not do the same for the soundtrack? But conversely, the characters are speaking 21st-century English, the plot undoubtedly has some aspects that have a particularly modern outlook, and of course nothing even remotely similar to the language of film, the way the story is being told, existed back then, so why place limits on the music?


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## classical yorkist (Jun 29, 2017)

Nereffid said:


> I haven't seen the show, but I've sampled the soundtrack (here). I can't say I noticed much piano in there, but yeah, there's nothing there that makes me think instantly of 17th-century Amsterdam either.
> I'm in two minds about this sort of thing. On the one hand, if a TV show or film goes to great lengths to accurately recreate costumes, buildings and decor of the time, then why not do the same for the soundtrack? But conversely, the characters are speaking 21st-century English, the plot undoubtedly has some aspects that have a particularly modern outlook, and of course nothing even remotely similar to the language of film, the way the story is being told, existed back then, so why place limits on the music?


I'm not after a wholly original baroque score but I'd like a flavour of it, a dab here and there. The director and cinmatographer have gone to great lengths to make virtually every shot look like a painting by Vermeer so why not top it off with a little period music now and then? It does look absolutely gorgeous, it really is period porn.


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

A distinction should be made between music produced within the historical frame of the story and soundtrack music outside the frame heard only by the TV audience. The former should be historically accurate like any detail of dress, architecture, decor or technology. Extra-historical soundtrack music is a more complicated issue for me. I would prefer music that, at least, is not blatantly anachronistic with the period of the plot — like using instruments that actually existed at the time, or their close modern equivalents. (e.g., modern strings used like a consort of viols, wood flutes, etc.) And if there is lutenist in the story? Yeah that should be a no-brainer — lots of lute music.


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## eugeneonagain (May 14, 2017)

There's been a trend of late to forgo music that matches the period of such dramas in favour of anachronistic music. On UK tv two spring immediately to mind:


Peaky Blinders set in 1920s Birmingham, which uses Nick Cave songs and other strange choices

Versailles (pre-revolutionary France) which used a similar modern soundtrack.

I watched _The Miniaturist_, yesterday and tonight, and to be honest I didn't notice the music all that much. It was generic-sounding. I don't think the general public can manage over an hour of harpsichord anyway.


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## classical yorkist (Jun 29, 2017)

eugeneonagain said:


> There's been a trend of late to forgo music that matches the period of such dramas in favour of anachronistic music. On UK tv two spring immediately to mind:
> 
> 
> Peaky Blinders set in 1920s Birmingham, which uses Nick Cave songs and other strange choices
> ...


To be honest I give Peaky Blinders a pass on the musical choices as it's so stylised and audacious. Versailles, I watched the first episode and stopped watching.

What I think is interesting is you say "I don't think the general public can manage over an hour of harpsichord anyway", well you're probably right but just a dab here and there is what I'm asking for. What is most incidental music for TV and film anyway? It tends to be sub Romantic era pastiche that is definitely not groundbreaking or interesting in any way. Why not get a small viol ensemble and do it with that? Or instead of a guitar use a lute!


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## classical yorkist (Jun 29, 2017)

As an example of how to get it right see Wolf Hall. This BBC drama set in the mid Tudor years features lute, viols, wooden flute, what sounds to me like a cittern and even a solo virginal tinkling away on the soundtrack. All the instruments play the composers incidental music, it's perfect and atmospheric.


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

classical yorkist said:


> As an example of how to get it right see Wolf Hall. This BBC drama set in the mid Tudor years features lute, viols, wooden flute, what sounds to me like a cittern and even a solo virginal tinkling away on the soundtrack. All the instruments play the composers incidental music, it's perfect and atmospheric.


I really liked that soundtrack (by Debbie Wiseman). I liked too how Cromwell was at one point humming "Scaramella" - granted, it's in the novel too, but it's the sort of authentic detail they didn't have to put in the show, as hardly one viewer in a thousand would pick up on it.


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