While the score offers these themes in various intriguing incarnations of rhythm and instrumentation, the hopelessly optimistic fanfare performances of the two together are the highlights. As the men of the story march back from war, they're led by snare and brass in "Overture" and "Contempt Farewell." Their theme mingles with the one for the waiting women, and as the women eventually win the hearts of their appropriate mates, this theme receives its own dramatic statements in "Hero's Wedding" and "Strike Up Pipers." There is always scheming going on in any good Shakespearian story, however, and Doyle treats these sequences (especially involving Reeves' treacherous Don John) with the few moments of minor-key rumblings that the score has to offer. Even in these slightly more ominous cues, however, a general lack of emphasis on the bass region helps the score retain its endlessly positive attitude. Several individual cues should be mentioned; the preview of the women's theme exists softly under Emma Thompson's recitation of a line from the play in "The Picnic." While her voice is always appropriate for the genre, her spoken words sound a bit forced into the rhythm of the score, especially compared to the other vocal performances, which are all sung. The only distracting period piece is "The Masked Ball," with an accentuated percussion section and more heathen rhythms. Doyle's own two performances (he also has an interlude in "Pardon Goddess of the Night") are as enticing as his short appearance in Henry V. The short "The Prince Woos Hero" is an outstandingly sophisticated rendering of the men's theme in an almost faux romantic setting, complete with clanging sword-like percussion. That percussion section would be heavily employed throughout Much Ado About Nothing, with the verbal swordfight complimented by an equivalent metallic presence in the rhythms. Likewise, the expected tolling of the chimes and rolling of the timpani grace the victorious cues at the end of the film (as well as early fanfare performances). The weakness of Much Ado About Nothing exists in its relative absence of depth. For a score with so much personality, it lacks the resonance in the bass section to really impress you in many of its middle portions. Overall, the score compensates for this lack of bass presence (which you can manually adjust to some degree) with undeniable charm, and it would be a welcome addition to any Patrick Doyle collection.  ****   @Amazon.com: CD or Download