Uprising is a 2001 tv movie directed by Jon Avnet about the struggle of Jews in a Warsaw ghetto during the second world war, with an illustrious cast featuring Leelee Sobieski, Hank Azaria, David Schwimmer, Jon Voight, Donald Sutherland and Cary Elwes. While he has previously worked exclusively with Thomas Newman, this time Avnet turned to veteran Maurice Jarre - and we can be glad he did. Jarre's film assignments have been few and far between in the last few years, but they have also resulted in some wonderful scores.

Uprising is a very different kettle of fish from Sunshine or I Dreamed of Africa - Jarre has crafted a very sombre, yet melodic, and powerful work centred around an outstanding main theme but featuring numerous affecting and memorable passages. The opening track is bombastic, violent and very powerful; what follows is generally much more sombre, but remains compelling listening. A chorus is introduced in "General Stroop in the Ghetto" for a particularly affecting passage.

The album may lack the instant appeal of Jarre's other recent works, but that is of course what the movie itself demanded. This is not meant to be appealing music, it is meant to be powerful music, commentary on one of the most shameful periods of mankind's history. At 77, Jarre has lost none of his musical gifts and with this score he has crafted one of the finest of 2001. An important and moving work.

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