To put it simply, the latest score by John Williams is the complete opposite of his previous work, The War of the Worlds. Williams returns to his more thematic roots while abandoning his usual large orchestra for soloists featuring everything from cellos and violins to the erhu and koto. This creates a more intimate sound, making it more fitting for a love story.
There are two main themes in the score. Sayuri's Theme, presented on the first track by Yo-Yo Ma, can be heard through out the entire score. It's a simple piece that builds with energy and emotion. The second theme, The Chairman's Waltz, is introduced about half way through and is more subtle than Sayuri's Theme.
Itzhak Perlman performs the Chairman's Waltz. Some may say that it's a bit of stunt casting to have Perlman and Ma working on this score, but they compliment Williams' music perfectly, and it probably doesn't hurt that they've both worked with Williams before.
Most of this score is very subdued. This makes for a very relaxing listening. With the inclusion of ethnic instruments, Williams has managed to create a sound very different than most people expect from him. Coming away from the movie, people may have thought that Tan Dun had done the score.
While some tracks still sound very John Williams ("Finding Satsu" and "The Fire Scene"), the whole score is a nice departure from the typical John Williams score. B
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