The American President

Although a good score in its own right, Shaiman's score was made famous by being featured in the trailer for Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan. I suspect the noble patriotism and warm orchestration struck a chord over the trailer images with many viewers. In fairness, Shaiman's theme is perhaps just a little sentimental for Spielberg's harder edged film, even if it sold the film at the trailer stage. The main theme is introduced in the Main Titles, with rich horns, strings and trumpet working in an almost John Barry type orchestration, even if the thematic and harmonic styles are unmistakably Shaiman. The 'secondary' theme is a more romantic descending melody that actually takes up a greater proportion of the score; even more sentimental and arranged in a variety of guises from the fainly predictable plinking piano rendition to swelling orchestral performances, all of which are quite lovely. There are occasional glimpses of the more dramatic, such as the bouncy Meet the Press, but the overall tone is relaxed. Shaiman even manages to throw in a little WW2 style lilting jazz in The State Dinner which makes for a nicely placed diversion from the full orchestra.

Most of the first two thirds or so is variably low key and gentle, twinkling with nostalgia and romance. However the final few cues become bolder, with the main theme becoming more prominent, before the End Titles reprise all the major material for a lovely closing coda to the album. This is not difficult listening, in fact there isn't really a lot to it in all honesty, but Shaiman is one of those composers who can create something from nothing. This isn't scoring at its most complex, although it was never going to be, but the small additions (romance, drama, little jazz, bold closure) to the soundscape are placed perfectly in the running order. Timed at just under 40 minutes, it moves along quickly enough to never drag, but without dispersing Shaiman's relaxed, atmospheric, but tuneful writing.