John Williams

War Horse Sony*****

When the Oscar nominations for best original score are announced later this month, The Adventures of Tintinand War Horse, both by John Williams, may be competing with one another. Of the two, War Horseis the superior by a neo-romantic nose. Charting the journey of a horse through the horror of the first World War, it combines elegant themes, lush orchestration and an exquisite range of instrumental colours (lone flute, bright horns, sweeping violins, tender piano), and moves effortlessly from playful lyricism to abrasive discord before returning to solemn elegy. For Williams it is not a ground-breaking score on the order of Jaws, Star Warsor Schindler's List, but it is a heart-stopping masterwork by the 74-year-old composer. War Horseis truly classic Williams. See warhorsemovie.com

Download tracks: Dartmoor 1912, The Death of Topthorn, No Man's Land, The Homecoming