The film making was fine, the music irritating

Many times film makers bolster a weak production with music. This version of Tess is a fine one marred by irritating violin (fiddle) music that rarely ever stops and often swells to offensive levels. At one point, people are yelling, a baby is crying and that music is full blast. Why isn't the sound of trees rustling in the wind allowed to convey a mood? Where are the silences that grip and hold on for dramatic effect?

Directors and producers need to learn to trust their own talents and not rely on gratuitous music when it obviously is not only unnecessary but holding back the true impact of the storytelling.