Pure Cinema Classics

The adjective "pure" in the title of this two-disc set apparently refers to the qualities of the music -- clear, gentle, not loud, not intrusive -- and hence to its being part of Virgin's "Chillout" series. The selections are both themes written for films and classical themes used in films. In some of the instances, such as the "Godfather Waltz" and "La Valse d'Amelie," the themes are probably not the first music that springs to mind when the film's name is mentioned (if you're the kind of person who remembers movie themes). However, they are still familiar and their moods fit with the rest of the selections. The most dramatic of the music found here is the Gladiator Suite, which really isn't a suite, but only the opening two minutes of it. There are also other tracks where the music fades out because the excerpt is from an original soundtrack recording. However, most tracks are arrangements of the themes for concert performance. The classical themes are all performed as arranged for the film; for example, Tarrega's Etude is played on Asian instruments (or a close approximation thereof) as it was heard in The Killing Fields. If you want some soothing background music, this isn't a bad compilation. The pieces are all similar enough in mood that it won't matter that the tracks are brief, and most of the themes are not memorable enough to get stuck in your head.