Normally I'd go on the basis of online reviews, but I haven't found many reviews for these titles. Thanks for anyone who can help. Specifically the kind of thing that will help is comparisons with the same composer's other work - e.g. Mark Isham's At First Sight is similar to his score for... etc.

THE HOUSE OF SPIRITS ZIMMER HANS
Clarinet carries instantly-hummable typical Zimmer theme. If reorchestrated the theme could be used in just about any other Zimmer score. As it is though, it's a bittersweet, melancholic theme which returns a few times. There are some slight hints at action music halfway through. They quickly go away though and we return to the love story. Very little synth or brass presence in this score - winds & strings predominate. Pedro & Blanca starts with the oboe (or the clarinet) then percussion & guitar pick up the oboe theme for what's the only latin-influenced track on the CD. It's no merengue though. It's dark and romantic at the same time, taken at a mid-tempo rythm. The Closting Titles cue is the most positive. It brings a sense of happy ending (one you get passed the archival recording of La Paloma). The Closing Titles sound a little like Nine Months. For the rest, I can't think of other Zimmer scores to compare it to.

I think you'd like the Princess Caraboo CD. It's got some neat surprises and totally worth $8.

Old Infopop Software by UBB