Joel McNeely is known almost exclusively for his action scores, so it's a pleasure to hear him tackle something as far afield as historical romance with the little-known 2000 effort
Lover's Prayer. The film's 19th century Russian setting affords
McNeely the opportunity to draw on the music of classical composers like
Tchaikovsky and Glazunov, and he responds with a lush, deeply emotional work that embraces period elements yet retains a modern sense of drama and scope. The intimacy and subtlety that
McNeely summons throughout
Lover's Prayer is a revelation -- his ability to create a rousing action theme was never in doubt, but his mastery of romance proves no less profound. ~ Jason Ankeny