The Notebook
Based on Nicholas Sparks' novel, director Nick Cassavetes film spins the bittersweet tale of a 60-year romance, as seen from the polar perspectives of its promising  youth and the travails of an old age cursed by Alzheimer's. Its soundtrack effectively echoes those polar dramatic concerns, with composer Aaron Zigler's gentle  orchestral score largely giving voice to the character's melancholy present, while a rich, well-chosen slate of vintage material by Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Benny  Goodman and Glenn Miller imparts a restless energy to their youth. There's a certain schmaltz to much of Zigman's work here, yet cues like "House Blues/The Porch  Dance.." and "Noah's Journey" argue he's achieved something more elusive than mere melodramatic wallpaper with the deceivingly difficult task at hand; it can't be  easy to have your work seasoned with the likes of Ellington's sassy "Alabamy Home" and Goodman's still-vibrant "One O'Clock Jump." Sharply contrasting versions  of  "I'll Be Seeing You" by Holiday and Jimmy Durante bookend the soundtrack, perfectly evoking the story's alternating shades of hope and fading nostalgia and  framing Zigman's understated work in the bargain.--Jerry McCulley