I will try not to sound cheesy, but i can't help myself, when a new Shore-composition comes out. The master of music has turned to the softer, more simple melodies, and that is most understandable, after the grand opera of the Lord of the Rings. Shore transforms easily to the small pieces of Cronenberg, his long time collaborator of two decades. The Maestro (And I grant only him and John Williams the title "maestro")uses hungarian and russian folk insteruments, such as the tarogato and the cimbalom, and they sound so new, so different. As a hungarian, it's so nice for me to know that he incorporates these interesting, center-eastern european music into his sophisticated, intimate western tunes. The clarinet and the violin also get major parts in this score, and Shore prevails again with, in my opinion an Oscar-worthy effort. I highly recommend this CD, because it is one from the more hummable pieces of Shore, similar like the superb The Departed, but much more eastern flavored. These could be put together as siblings, because they represent a certain stage of Howard Shore's career. I wonder where he's going next, because the man is on top of his game most definately. But he and I (and millions of Shore-likers too) want to have him do the Hobbit or another great epic. Let's pray to the God of Music. Until then, listen to this wonderful work of the Academy Award winning composer, Howard Shore.