The Piano: Original Soundtrack / The Cook, The Theif, His Wife And Her Lover

The Piano:
This crossover hit, the soundtrack to Jane Campion's film, is subtle, pretty, and just a little bit bland. Nyman keeps the theatrics to a minimum, crafting an evocative work that manages to be both personal and universal. He also lets the music run its course, never pushing or cutting off a piece until it says what it needs to. A towering commercial achievement from a decidedly non-commercial artist.

The Cook, the thief, his Wife and her Lover:
For this, his seventh soundtrack for director Peter Greenaway, Nyman deftly orchestrates a mix of strings, horns, and voices to produce another of his fetching and romantic minimalist backdrops. The opening "Memorial" is the highlight of the lot and drives along with stuttering saxophones, an insistent string arrangement, elegiac brass solos, and the soaring vocals of soprano Sarah Leonard.