"Partition" is a soundtrack that has quietly emerged on the scene without a lot of press and fanfare. This has more to do with the commercial marketability of the film more than the composing talent behind the music. However, if you're someone who appreciates a well made score, then you should be made aware of the wonderful music by Composer Brian Tyler, even if the movie is not a mainstream success.

Based on a conversation with Brian in mid-2006, he informed ScoreNotes.com that this was the type of score he loves to develop. The story offers plenty of room for dramatic music development, thematic movements and cultural influences to add a twist to the traditional scoring assignment. After listening to the score for the first time, it's easy to determine that Brian was able to implement all these elements successfully and in good balance.

The soundtrack begins with the main theme of the film, a blend of romance and hardship in its representation. It's a nice beginning, even if simply for the reason that I always appreciate a score when the main theme is established in the opening stages. When it's effective, even better. While listening to the "Partition" theme, pay close attention to the activity in the secondary layer of it. The strings produce a beautiful effect that compliment the full orchestral sound and really gives it an emotional depth.

Ironically, the best track of the score comes early, in cue 3. This is the type of track that I've been waiting to hear for quite a while. It felt reminiscent of the type of quality that Jerry Goldsmith would have produced and I mean that as a compliment to Brian. I really enjoyed the 'swirling' effect that the music brought forth, making it a very captivating draw. In fact, I've been listening to this piece quite consistently for the past week or so!

Since this film deals with the Indian and Pakistani culture, I would be remiss if I didn't comment on the ethnic influences of the soundtrack. Suffice it to say, there is plenty of versatility at work with the blend of musical cultures. The ethnic elements are well placed and authentic, which I am sure is the result of extensive research in making sure such quality was delivered. It's also interesting to hear how these flavors converge with the traditional western sound as well as in a dramatic context. In my experience, movies that deal with a specific part of the world often yield music that is solely inspired by the region, often times producing unbalanced results in one direction. "Partition" is more accessible in that regard and doesn't fall into the trap.

Now that my accolades have been stated, I'd like to talk about what didn't work for me. What I found with "Partition" is that there is simply too much music on the soundtrack, which makes the main theme appear a little too often within the listening experience. Just my opinion, but I think this release would have been better served had 10 to 15 minutes been trimmed from the running time. That would give justice to a theme that is, on a whole, better than average. That's really my only knock on it but it's notable enough to keep it from reaching an "A" status.

Final Score: Brian Tyler comes through again with a soundtrack that has a lot going for it with "Partition." While the length of the album proves to be a detriment and causes the main theme to feel too familiar, there is too much overall quality to pass this one by. Recommended.