When I started giving lectures about Jane Austen soundtracks, this Netflix version of Persuasion was still in the works. After stating that the previous two adaptations were missing what I wanted in the music (themes for characters, romantic expressions in the music), I was looking forward to seeing this version. Musically, Stuart Earl delivered what I wanted. Soaring romantic music, as well as funny, quirky themes for characters such as Mr. Elliott and everything in-between. It also decided to move into the romantic comedy genre like Emma as well as breaking the 4th wall like the 2007 Persuasion or the 1999 Mansfield Park. In the process, they changed the character of Anne which makes this version a lot harder to love as a huge book fan. One day, maybe I will get my favorite characters from the book as well as wonderful memorable music!

The ITV/Masteripiece TV movie of Persuasion came out in 2007 in the UK and 2008 in the US as part of a Jane Austen trio along with Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park, each one being 90 minutes. The challenge was adapting this down to size and choosing to focus on the main protagonists and their feelings, particular Anne as she shares her feelings to the audience through journal writing and looking into the camera. The composer, Martin Phipps, is known for several other period dramas including Sense and Sensibility that came out in the same year. He prefers a more modern and minimalistic approach to music, echoing the feelings of characters instead of trying to set it in the Regency era. That being said, he still focuses on using the piano and a smaller group of string instruments as the primary accompaniment, like many other Austen adaptations. Since the music is not available, I tried to record several bits myself as a musical reference throughout this episode. 

Persuasion has been my favorite Jane Austen novel since I was a teenager. I love the story, the main characters, and Jane Austen's wit in her writing especially in regards to Anne's family. It is, however, a tricky one to adapt which means that I am never completely satisfied with any of the adaptations. The movie of 1995 is characterized with staying true to the novel but relying mostly on solo piano matching the quiet, introverted nature of the heroine. While some of the music is written by composer Jeremy Sams, much of the music depends on classical music by Chopin and J.S. Bach. Since there is no soundtrack available, there is a great focus on the classical music with a little bit of Sams.

This is where we start to get into some more controversial adaptations of Jane Austen (not counting who is the best Mr. Darcy). The 1999 movie of Mansfield Park combines Jane Austen's own juvenilia into Fanny Price's character and voice to help provide some of the wit and humor within the writing but also changing the character. The music, written by Lesley Barber, alternates between hints of the Baroque (old-fashioned) and minimalism, a current trend in soundtracks. In combining the old and the new, it reflects the story being told in a slightly more harsh way than previous adaptations, using unusual instruments for a specific point while still having a few key elements such as the use of the harp for Mary in play.

The soundtrack for the 2020 Emma is witty, clever, and romantic all at the same time. In many ways, listening to this soundtrack is like reading Jane Austen's writing. Each character has a clear and distinctive theme that describes their personality. Class distinction is heard with a variety of classical and folk music. Considering that this was the last movie I saw in theaters the weekend before lockdown, I may have listened to this adaptation a lot in 2020 and 2021! The proposal music is currently my alarm clock so that probably tells you a lot right there in bringing joy to my heart in a harder season. While this version is a bit more controversial especially if you don't like the folk music or portrayal of Emma, the music by Isobel Waller-Bridge and David Schweitzer is definitely worth paying attention to. 

The mini-series of Emma (2009) came with the second wave of Austen TV adaptations in the 2008/2009 years. Since this adaptation has 4 hours, it can cover the whole story and in greater depth than the movies can. Samuel Sim, the composer, does a fantastic job of hinting at the classical era while having perhaps the largest orchestral sound with bells and brass to make it simultaneously joyful and wistful, matching this Emma's personality. Plus, Mr. Knightley's Walk is one of the best tracks featuring cello! Many themes and personalities are heard in this version making it a beautiful soundtrack to enjoy.

Emma (1996) came out in the height of rom-coms and much of the mood of this particular adaptation matches the humor, romance, and wit of a rom-com. Add charming music by Rachel Portman (who was one of the first women to win an Oscar for best original score for Emma) and it's a fun delightful ride. I would also like to shout out Lori Davis, one of the people responsible for getting me involved with teaching Jane Austen soundtracks back in 2021 on a larger scale. This Emma soundtrack is her favorite.

The 1995 Sense and Sensibility movie was my introduction to Jane Austen. I went to see it with friends and family for my 13th birthday and fell in love. It also was the second soundtrack and album I bought myself and I can still tell you where the break for turning over the cassette tape occurred. Patrick Doyle, the composer, was the composer that I grew up with through his adaptations of Shakespeare. The music in this film so beautifully encapsulates the restraint and sense of imitating classical music, the gorgeous singable melodies that Doyle is known for, as well as capturing the emotions and sensibility in key places. A true gem in the Austen adaptations.