Stanley & Iris

This is an beautifully subtle and understated score for the romantic comedy, drama starring Jane Fonda and Robert De Niro. It's not the kind of score Williams does very often, which is more the pity as this is a real gem and one that is likely to be overlooked by many film soundtrack fans. Although it is very short, there is enough here to satisfy most people and in fact the short length probably worth score's advantage. The fact that it is scored for such a small ensemble means that if it were very long the similar sound of the tracks might get wearing, but in this arrangement, it's just right. The two main themes are introduced in the first and second tracks respectively and are a brilliant reminder of how charming and subtle Williams can be when he needs to be. Nothing could be further from the excitement of his Star Wars scores, but this is in just as entertaining. It is a common feature of these kinds of score that they are boring and repetitive, many of James Horner's intimate scores can become very fuzzy and kind of just drift along (The Spitfire Grill being a superb exception.) Williams, on the other hand, keeps things tuneful and keeps the ball rolling so that there is never any lingering on one idea. The core of the instrumentation is a string section, a piano and flutes. The occasional addition of light percussion and a trumpet (as in the track Letters) means there is always something interesting and new waiting to be discovered, despite the initial thought of pseudo chamber music sounding fairly dull. The final three tracks make a beautiful and slightly more emphatic end to the score reprising all of the major themes and motifs and closing a modest and charming chapter in Williams' body of work. Highly recommended for Williams fans and those who enjoy their music subtle and elegant.