Kitaro's score for The Soong Sisters, the story of three sisters who grew up in pre-communist China, were educated in America, and ultimately married some of China's most powerful men, mixes Eastern and Western melodies and instruments into sweeping, often romantic pieces like "Dr.

Sun and Ching-Ling" and the title track.

The score also shows a surprising amount of variety, moving from tense, percussive tracks such as "Man on Fire" to lively, melodic pieces like "Waltz and War." Very little of the new age sound that Kitaro crafts in his albums appears in the score, although the soaring melodies of "The Bonfire" and "The Scroll is Read" share an affinity with his main work.

A highly dramatic score, The Soong Sisters is the most successful when it focuses more on its Eastern roots, but overall should please most film music fans, as well as most people who enjoy Asian-inspired music.