O Pioneers!

Sometimes you rediscover a score and it's far better than you recall. I must admit that I had it in my mind that O Pioneers! was a somewhat insubstantial effort in Broughton's body of work, but only a short time into The Land, it becomes clear that it's another lovely score from the composer. Both the music and content of the miniseries are quite similar to that of the later True Women; both are the pastoral side of the western genre, with an emphasis on the typical folk of the time, particularly the women. That the cast is headed by Jessica Lange makes it obvious that this is a quality production and appears to have garnered good reviews.

Even more so than True Women, O Pioneers! is a rather gentle score and largely lacks the darker elements of that later effort. The main theme is almost hymnal, with a hint of the well known tune to Lord of All Hopefulness, one could certainly imagine it as based on an old shaker melody, much in the manner that Aaron Copland employed for his classic ballet score, Appalachian Spring. The love theme, for the two lead characters is perhaps less memorable, but seeps into the consciousness as the score progresses. The most instantly enjoyable of the three major melodies is the sprightly tune that appears most notably in Meet Marie and the opening of Bishop's Cavalcade, a nice piece of bouncing whimsy alongside the more reverential tone of the rest.

Most of the album is tuneful and amiable, only becoming more dramatic toward the conclusion of Bishop's Cavalcade and then through Suspicion, Sin and Death, where darker hues are introduced. However, the charm of earlier soon returns in the finale, When Friends Marry and a reprise of the main theme makes a nice coda on which to conclude. As it's performed by Hollywood musicians, the album is perhaps shorter than we're used to for many major Broughton scores, but in truth, this is not really the type of score that would benefit from being too long. Although the struggles might be epic, the drama is intimate and human, so is the music. A delight.