Elliot Leung's original score for Memoirs of Victoria is released via Plaza Mayor Company Ltd. The film traces the life of Anita Mui, Hong Kong's disappeared Cantopop star...

There is one standout theme in Memoirs of Victoria. It bookends the score and appears in various guises through the album's 25 tracks (57 min, 20 sec). But it never gets old, nor does it outstay its welcome. There are a number of additional themes that are revisited as the album unwinds.

Discussing the project, composer Elliot Leung said: "I had an amazing experience watching this movie and it's definitely one of the better biopics created in a long time. It was a very refreshing for me to musically reimagine Hong Kong in the previous era. In this delicate score, I crafted three themes, which are first introduced, and then later interwoven interactively. I also loved the opportunity to feature solos played by the accordion, the samisen, the cello and the violin."

As an aside, I couldn't help but be reminded of Howard Shore's work on the movie Big (1988) when listening to 'A High-flying Career'.

This is a sweet, sentimental score with plenty of wonderfully emotional melancholic moments. It's certainly one I'll be revisiting in the future.

8

Darren Rea