Rachel Mary Berkeley Portman (born 11 December 1960 in Haslemere, England, … Read Full Bio ↴Rachel Mary Berkeley Portman (born 11 December 1960 in Haslemere, England, UK) is a British composer, best known for scoring films. She was educated at Charterhouse School and Worcester College, Oxford.

Ms. Portman has composed the scores for dozens of feature films, including "Emma", "Chocolat", "Oliver Twist", "The Cider House Rules", "The Duchess", and "Never Let Me Go".
She was the first female composer to win an Academy Award in the category of Best Musical or Comedy Score (for "Emma" in 1996). Ms. Portman was also nominated for Academy Awards for her scores for "The Cider House Rules" in 1999 and "Chocolat" in 2000.

She composed a score for the film "Dangerous Beauty," but it was unused; George Fenton replaced her, but some of her material still remains in the film. For television she composed the score for all thirteen episodes of Jim Henson's The Storyteller and two episodes of The Jim Henson Hour ("Monster Maker" and "Living with Dinosaurs"). Her other works include a children's opera, The Little Prince, which was later adapted for television, and Little House on the Prairie, a musical based upon the Laura Ingalls Wilder books "Little House on the Prairie" (2008). Ms. Portman was commissioned to write a piece of choral music for the BBC Proms series in August 2007.

On 19 May 2010, she was honored at the BMI Film & TV Awards with the Richard Kirk Award which is bestowed on composers who have made significant contributions to the realm of film and television music. Portman made BMI history as she became the first woman composer to receive the honor.

Portman was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours.

Official website: http://www.rachelportman.co.uk

Autumn Leaves
Rachel Portman Lyrics

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The falling leaves drift by the window
The autumn leaves of red and gold
I see your lips, the summer kisses
The sun-burned hands I used to hold

Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I'll hear old winter's song
But I miss you most of all my darling

When autumn leaves start to fall

C'est une chanson, qui nous ressemble
Toi tu m'aimais et je t'aimais
Nous vivions tous deux ensemble
Toi qui m'aimais moi qui t'aimais
Mais la vie separe ceux qui s'aiment

Tout doucement sans faire de bruit
Et la mer efface sur le sable les pas des amants desunis

Overall Meaning

The song "Autumn Leaves" by Rachel Portman is an emotional embodiment of sorrow and nostalgia. The lyrics give off a wistful ambiance, depicting the changing of seasons through a lens of lost love. The falling leaves outside the window are a metaphor for a relationship that has faded away, represented by the colors of red and gold - the colors of autumn leaves. The singer reminisces on the past, remembering the sweet memories of summer kisses and the feeling of holding hands with someone they loved. The lyrics then allude to the present, where the singer admits that since their lover has gone away, the days have grown longer and the arrival of winter is imminent. Yet, the most heartbreaking part of the song is the chorus that follows, where the singer confesses that they miss their lover the most during autumn - the season that reminds them the most of the love they once shared.

The second half of the song is sung in French, which provides a contrast to the first half. The lyrics, when translated, speak of a love that is no longer possible because "life separates those who love each other gently without making noise." The beach is a metaphor that illustrates the impermanence of romantic love - the waves come and go, and the lovers' footsteps are eventually erased.

Line by Line Meaning

The falling leaves drift by the window
The leaves from trees falling slowly outside a window and floating away.

The autumn leaves of red and gold
The leaves of the season, autumn, changing and falling with colors of red and gold.

I see your lips, the summer kisses
Memories of a past summer and the kisses shared with a loved one.

The sun-burned hands I used to hold
The hands of a loved one that are now sunburned but once were held by the artist.

Since you went away the days grow long
The artist feels like the days are endless since their loved one left them.

And soon I'll hear old winter's song
Winter, a cold and dreary season, is soon to come and bring even more sadness to the singer.

But I miss you most of all my darling
The singer misses and longs for their loved one the most during this season of change and loss.

When autumn leaves start to fall
The start of autumn and the falling of leaves is a painful reminder to the artist of their lost love.

C'est une chanson, qui nous ressemble
This is a song that reflects us and our love.

Toi tu m'aimais et je t'aimais
You loved me and I loved you, we shared a mutual love.

Nous vivions tous deux ensemble
We lived together sharing our lives and love.

Toi qui m'aimais moi qui t'aimais
You loved me, and I loved you deeply and unconditionally.

Mais la vie separe ceux qui s'aiment
Despite love, life can bring separation and distance between two people.

Tout doucement sans faire de bruit
Slowly, and without sound, lives and hearts can drift apart.

Et la mer efface sur le sable les pas des amants desunis
The sea washes the footprints away of separated lovers on the sand, erasing any traces of their love.

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: CLAUDIO MERLINI

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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