The End of the Affair (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Amazon.com Brooding, modern, and introspective, Michael Nyman's score for Neil Jordan's screen adaptation of Graham Greene's dark, postwar drama largely eschews melodic accessibility and convention. Instead, much as frequent David Cronenberg collaborator Howard Shore (and the great Bernard Herrmann before them), Nyman utilizes subtly shifting minimalist motifs (played by his namesake string and wind ensemble) to underscore the film's moods and amplify its drama. Though the result may not be memorable from a traditional melodic sense, many will find it an emotionally commanding soundscape that's as challenging as it is rewarding. --Jerry McCulley