Two love themes occupy the majority of the running time in Players, one a listless and somewhat tragic reminder of the woman's loveless tethering to the older man and the other a warm, budding, and eventually flourishing theme of classic Goldsmith attraction. The first theme is remarkably omnipresent in the score, a constant reminder of the woman's obligations to her rich partner. Its primary identity on trumpet, along with a few noir-like progressions, will definitely remind listeners of Chinatown. Its subtle reminders throughout the score, led by "A New Life," eventually become naggingly persist until the film throws the other love affair in doubt in "The Boat," the melancholy establishment theme driving with the force of a similar lover's traveling scene cue by Goldsmith for Basic Instinct. The lighter love theme, developed as an interlude for the album arrangement of the first cue, blossoms in "New Freedom," almost always beginning on woodwinds and sometimes developing into sweeping string arrangements. There is a sense of innocence in this theme that, along with the orchestration, reminds of the composer's loftier early 1990's light drama themes (and Forever Young, especially). The intensity of the theme's performance in "The Bedroom" (the aforementioned sex scene) emphasizes the piano's role in this theme. The fanfare for the select tennis scenes rounds out the thematic identities, previewed in "Players" before occupying "Winning Streak" and closing out the last few seconds of the film. With ambitious French horn lines and accompanying tambourine rhythms, this theme is most reminiscent of Goldsmith's career material for scenes showing fox hunts (culminating in The Final Conflict). Broad, low brass and thumping electronic bass accents lend force to this timpani and xylophone-assisted theme, though it's truly an exhibition for rowdy trumpet and horn performances of significant difficulty. Unlike Goldsmith's later sports scores, this theme in Players is impressive, but not game changing. One additional aspect of the score worth noting is the multitude of acoustic guitar performances that not only address some of the locale considerations but also serve as a bridge between the score and the numerous pop songs heard in the film. On the whole, Players is, outside of the two tennis cues, an easy half hour of listening, lovely at its most intimate and lonely at its most contemplative. But it may not live up to expectations for those who have eagerly waited thirty years for an album release. Intrada's 2010 product is comprehensive, decent in sound despite some high range (seemingly gain-related) distortion in brass and an occasional wobble in pitch. The score's two romance themes are a pleasant surprise, but the tennis theme is likely overrated; the abundance of the former element makes the album a safe recommendation for Goldsmith enthusiasts.  ***   @Amazon.com: CD or Download