South Solitary
Mary Finsterer has an established and highly esteemed reputation in Australian screen music composition, having been awarded the prestigious Churchill Fellowship to study with Marco Beltrami, in the United States, and having spent several years honing her considerable skills.
The score was a labour of love for Finesterer, who is friends with director Shirley Barrett. Regardless of their friendship, Finesterer was acutely aware of the responsibility the soundtrack has in maintaining the integrity of a film. She has aptly captured and complemented the tone of Shirley Barrett's slightly eccentric and quite endearing feature film; while an occasional enthusiastic burst of the pioneering spirit of the characters is conveyed, the overall mood of the music is gentle, often with a dominant instrument, such as the piano or harp, set amid lilting string melodies.
For those who have seen the film and enjoyed it, Finesterer's soundtrack will certainly evoke pleasant memories. But among those who haven't seen the film, fans of classical music, or light classics, would find this tuneful and deceptively simple compilation thoroughly delightful.