"The Illusionist" offers up a vintage Philip Glass score.  Bouncing back from a fairly pedestrian effort on "Roving Mars," Glass prevents a slump by delivering a quality that we've come to expect from the veteran composer over the years. 

 

"The Illusionist" is an soundtrack that performs with smooth delivery, consistency and melodic timing.  The soundtrack begins and ends with the main theme from the film, provided in a bookend format that takes the listener full circle, and achieves its success by not deviating from the approach.  Indeed, the music truly blends harmoniously from one track to the next, with touches of mystery and amazement all along the way.  And it's with these mysterious notes that really add the flavor to the score (and the film).  All throughout my encounters with the music of Philip Glass, it's the intangible elements that he brings to the forefront that really captures my attention, and it's no different with this project.

 

To characterize the music, I would have to say it's a hybrid of modern and classical.  From its subtle, classical theme to its moments of enchantment, you'll find yourself appreciating the soundscape.  It's the type of mesmorizing music that fans of the composer will surely buy into and can hopefully pave the way for newcomers to become curious enough to seek out more of his work.

 

Interestingly enough, with a score such as this, there are no individual tracks that really stand apart from the rest.  This is an example of a soundtrack that needs to be heard in its entirety to gain a better appreciation of its quality.  To that end, I have to comment that the sound mix is very well delivered and the pacing and flow from one track to the next is also very smooth.  Believe it or not, even the gaps between cues can be organized to enhance the listening experience.  Altogether, it's a nice, complete package. 

 

Lastly, thanks to the opening and closing tracks, one might even venture to say that this score is really an extended suite.  While most soundtracks dart and weave with the hyper action on the screen, it's refreshing to hear a patient approach employed here.

 

Final Score: "The Illusionist" entertains with ease and conjures up yet another successful soundscape from Philip Glass.  While not a "masterwork," it's definitely a score that would fit nice into the collection!