As is always the case with The City of Prague Philharmonic, this album contrasts that stereotype with fully charged and vigorous performances featuring their trademark advantage of size. Additionally, this product avoids the pitfalls of compilations that simply perform instrumental versions of popular songs in films. These cues are entirely based on film score themes rather than songs. The compilation opens with a competent performance of Gabriel Yared's subdued desert theme for The English Patient, likely included here because of the score's Oscar win. The two subsequent Patrick Doyle cues are significantly contrasting; Much Ado About Nothing's grand and comical title theme, perfectly symbolizing the mischievous deceit of the film, rattles the windows with its brass. The 1996 score for Hamlet is, on the other hand, more sincere in its transition to the tragedy realm. The final choral cue was unfortunately not selected for inclusion, though Silva would satisfy us with its performance on "Cinema Choral Classics II." Rachel Portman's Oscar-winning score for Emma is adequate here, though the ensemble loses some of that chipper playfulness that Portman exerts in her original recordings. Traveling back to Alfred Newman, Wuthering Heights revisits a time of extremely lush and varied strings. Nino Rota's Romeo and Juliet is much more robust, with a climactic Broadway-style theme; a lengthy suite is included, spanning four segments from the original score. The next track is the only grossly misplaced one on the product; Trevor Jones' Last of the Mohicans has an incredible theme, a fan favorite from the 1990's, but is more epic than romantic. Anyone who associates the film with the extraction of bodily organs rather than flirtation will have equal troubles with its appearance, and the percussion in the performance is given an overbearing mix.

Ilona Sekacz's score for Mrs. Dalloway had been receiving good press at the time due to its popular album release. The main and end title cues will be reminiscent of Rachel Portman's music of the era. Ennio Morricone's dull score for the Mel Gibson Hamlet is nowhere near as rich as Doyle's interpretation. The Twelfth Night track that follows is the original recording from the score (available because Silva owned the rights to it and the Prague ensemble performed it). The ominous rhythmic motif at its outset betrays the album's fluffiness, but it's a decent score worthy of inclusion. Sense and Sensibility is performed with the same delicate touch as the Hamlet cue prior. Phillipe Sarde's highly percussive Tess opens with a motif that James Horner fans will undoubtedly recognize as inspiration for his Klingon music in 1984's Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. It's not necessarily the best thing to hear on a compilation like this, but the more diverse instrumentation does break of up the traditional style of album's flow and provides a distinct curiosity in the middle of the product. Carl Davis' sweeping theme for Pride and Prejudice is far more genuinely classical, with impressive piano solos. The best cue from Thomas Newman's strong score for Little Women is unfortunately not represented here. Finally, a lengthy and mildly enjoyable suite from Far from the Madding Crowd is included. Overall, though, the product's first half easily outshines the latter half. With 30+ strong minutes out of the 75-minute product, there's enough material to warrant interest. The quality of sound on the album is on par with other Silva compilations of the time. If you're a fan of the Shakespearean genre of music in particular, you'll be impressed by Prague's usual high standard of performance.  ****   @Amazon.com: CD or Download