This latest offering is a dialled down several notches from the recent spate of sci-fi and cult offerings from Silva Screen and it actually comes as a refreshing change. Even if the music wasn't splendid and superbly performed, this album would still be unique for the fact that it contains no John Williams, James Horner, Jerry Goldsmith, in fact I think of all the modern composers, Patrick Doyle is the most famous. While the aforementioned are superb composers, it's nice to hear what everyone else can do once in a while. The selections from Mr Doyle are excellent in every respect. The best of these comes first with the splendid Overture from Much Ado About Nothing. Whilst not as instantly memorable as, for example,. Non Nobis Domine from Henry V, it is certainly as good and given a vigorous reading here. The other selections are somewhat more modest, indeed the entire of his score for Hamlet was nicely understated and the selection here, a kind of string elegy is no exception. It (like a few of the other selections on this album) is gorgeous when it is playing, but perhaps doesn't linger in the memory so much afterward. Other Shakespearean efforts include Ennio Morricone's Hamlet main theme, which is nothing much special and rather emphasises the darker side more so than Doyle's, but is still a beautiful piece of music. Nino Rota's music from Romeo and Juliet is absolutely gorgeous, it has more than a hint of the Italian-flavoured Godfather music. The main theme is a sumptuously passionate as well somewhat mournful and I don't think I could imagine better music to introduce the story of the doomed lovers. It is presented at first as full orchestral arrangement, but also in more delicate shades, most notably as a guitar solo. Some of the other music in the suite sound like pseudo-medieval Court music and slightly detracts from the powerful main theme. Finally we have Twelfth Night, which doesn't seem to entirely fit with the rest of the album. It starts with a pounding action motif for Orsino's Horsemen and then lets up somewhat for The Disguise. From what I gather from the liner notes, there isn't a great deal of romance in the film and if there is any, then it doesn't really get a look in during this selection. The same could be said for Trevor Jones' overrated main title theme from Last of the Mohicans, which fine enough, but does seem to crop up far too often on compilations for my liking.

Slightly lighter literary fair is presented in the form of Rachel Portman's Oscar winning score to Emma. Starting with a sprightly dance tune, the music then moves into a subdued end title which is pleasant enough, but I am not entirely convinced of the Oscar nod it received, but maybe in the context of the full score it has more impact. Sense and Sensibility is, to all intents and purposes, Patrick Doyle's version of Emma, with the same period drama feel about it, but it is equally lovely in its own right. The main theme from the BBC's version of Pride and Prejudice is an immensely memorable and sprightly chamber piece for piano, strings, woodwind and horns and has a slightly more assertive feel than either of the offerings than Doyle or Portman's efforts but is just a good. It is certainly of movie quality and once again shows that Carl Davis really is a composer we should be taking note of. The English Patient is a score I don't much care for. It is certainly nice while you are listening to it, but I would be hard pressed to remember anything about it afterwards. The selection here is no different and so like the entire score is a track you will like at the time, but find it difficult to recall much about it afterward. Alfred Newman's Wuthering Heights music sounds like it could be from any Golden Age of Hollywood romance, but is nice enough in its own way. Mrs. Dalloway is by a composer whom I have never heard of. I certainly hope that the score is available as this selection is excellent. It starts quite subdued with a solo piano with the orchestra joining in underneath and eventually becomes more sprightly and upbeat. The major upbeat motif recalls the work of other composers a little, but is lovely in its own right. Definitely one not to overlook because you've not heard of the composer.

Finally, the two selections from films based on Thomas Hardy are the two I don't particularly like all that much. Tess starts with an almost oriental sounding tonal motif which seems to be somewhat at odds with the setting of the story. The rest is somewhat depressing, but sprightly at the same time. The suite from Far From the Madding Crowd is mostly solo instruments and is also very downbeat, well this is Thomas Hardy, who is hardly known for his cheery tales.

It is strange album in that while listening to it you will enjoy the tracks a great deal, but perhaps afterward won't particularly remember them, but you will remember that they were good! For that reason, it makes an album that invites you to listen to it repeatedly so you can experience what joys and romance film composers can produce. This is certainly a good CD to pick up if you already have a large collection of scores as it is more than likely that there will be a good half a dozen things that you won't actually have and hopefully will encourage you to pursue some music by less well known composer, Patrick Doyle in particular.

Tracklist
01 - Gabriel Yared - The English Patient
02 - Patrick Doyle - Much Ado About Nothing
03 - Patrick Doyle - Hamlet
04 - Rachel Portman - Emma
05 - Alfred Newman - Wuthering Heights
06 - Nino Rota - Romeo And Juliet
07 - Trevor Jones - The Last Of The Mohicans
08 - Ilona Sekacz - Mrs. Dalloway
09 - Ennio Morricone - Hamlet
10 - Shaun Davey - Twelfth Night
11 - Patrick Doyle - Sense And Sensibility
12 - Philippe Sarde - Tess
13 - Carl Davis - Pride And Prejudice
14 - Thomas Newman - Little Women
15 - Richard Rodney Bennett - Far From The Madding Crowd

FLAC (http://www.mediafire.com/?9czam5vy1lew9)

nice one.. thanks!!

thanks a lot man

Thank you!

Thanks. :)

Thanks a lot.

re-up please!!!!!