Ironically, Gabriel Yared's star has never been brighter within the film music fan community than since his score for Troy was rejected, causing something of an uproar.  (I'm still not entirely sure why it was rejected but, without wanting to cause further uproar, I do think that James Horner's replacement was more effective than Yared's score would have been, excellent though it was.)  This is ironic because in terms of the Hollywood studios who provide employment to the heroes of the film music fan community, his star has surely never been duller.  Unfortunately, rejected scores are a fact of life, but Yared - quite understandably - went on the warpath in various interviews after his Troy experience, suggesting that perhaps he will from now on be following the Ennio Morricone route of scoring various European films and earning the critical plaudits without getting his name attached to many blockbusters.

The first score he signed to do since Troy certainly suggests he'll be following such a path.  L'Avion is a French film directed by Cedric Kahn based on the Charly comics which are popular in France.  The music is typical Yared, much in the style of The English Patient (though slightly heavier, not really benefiting from that score's deft feel).  You certainly wouldn't guess it's from a children's film.  But it's really quite delightful music.  The "Ouverture" which opens the album presents the score's beautiful main theme, performed first by a chamber-sized Prague orchestra (sans brass, as it remains through the rest of the score) and various soloists, beginning with a lovely clarinet.  Yared also writes solo passages for oboe and bassoon later in the score.

There is a distinct sense of melancholy pervading the majority of the music, an almost wistful feeling.  The score's main theme is its biggest asset and it gets some excellent variations, particularly in "L'enfant et l'avion" which gives it a fantasy air; and Yared gives it a sweeping quality later with "L'avion vole".  However, there is plenty of other good material.  "Le printemps", a lovely piece for solo piano (again with only modest orchestral accompaniment) has the gentle feeling of a Mozart piano sonata; it's a lovely piece.  Later, the orchestra disappears altogether and the theme comes back just for piano in the inspiringly-titled "Le piano".  It's not all lilting melodies; the striking "L'avion fou" is a rare action piece which sees Yared's imaginative orchestrations use the string orchestra very well.

The album's rounded off by the nice, lengthy "La meteorite", which reprises most of the thematic material.  As I said above, it's a slightly heavy score which makes repeated listening slightly less likely, but nevertheless it is blessed with such graceful melodies it is difficult not to be impressed.  It's nothing much new for Yared, but he's a talented composer and his fans will love L'Avion.  The disc has (so far) only been released in Europe, by Colosseum Records, and there is no word of an international release.  It's such a charming, old-fashioned score that it's worth seeking out.