After a long time without working together, Kenneth Branagh and Patrick Doyle seems to be reconciled, and they work again in Hamlet, this expected great film production from Shakespere's play, which has been adapted to the screen before. This time Branagh reaches his last Shakespearean work -he already has filmed Much Ado About Nothing (1993) and Henry V (1989)- with Shakespeare´s complete text, an exceptional cast, an incredible stage design photographed and presented in 70 mm format -never used in UK since Lawrence of Arabia(1962)-, and with an extraordinary score composed and conducted by Patrick Doyle. This film score contains twenty-six tracks including the solo, In Pace, sung by prestigious tenor Placido Domingo. The composition is a pure melodic and romantic symphony, which carries the hallmark of his genius, and which sometimes recall us some of his music for Mary Shelley´s Frankenstein (1994) and Dead Again (1991). Just like the composer says, the soundtrack is mainly based on three principal themes whom reflect the characters of Hamlet, Ophelia and Claudius. So by means of the music are described these three personalities: Hamlet (main theme), not only melancholic but brilliant and positive; Ophelia, sweet and touched (cue 12); Claudius (end of cue 14), a most dramatic music with which to create a feeling of continued restlessness. In my opinion, this is a score which has to be in our film music collection. We do hope that the Branagh/Doyle tandem will not be broken ever more, so we can keep enjoying the overwhelming work of these two remarkable talents. I.P.

/ SONY CLASSICAL SK62857 / 77'