Both Leonard Bernstein and Chinese-born American composer Tan Dun have used the piano for collections of shorter and/or occasional pieces, along with larger works that were written to exploit particular aspects of piano technique. Bernstein’s piano output is mainly comprised of characterful, subtle miniatures written, over four decades, as groups of ‘anniversaries’. Touches was composed as a test piece for the Sixth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Tan Dun’s piano music was composed at key junctures in his career and is both evocative and propulsive, Dew-Drop-Falls being one of his most intricate and ethereal sound pictures.

李玟的开场曲高昂激越的歌声中，揭开了这部电影原声带的序幕。中式、武侠、古代琴音，东方而略带哀伤与神秘的乐章缓缓并依序地进行着。由谭盾与马友友合作完成的这张《卧虎藏龙》电影原声带，并不像是一般电影藉由古典音乐的模式作出来的西方配乐，更像是因为电影结构与戏的氛围，让谭盾与马友友的音乐有着浓浓的江湖戏味；这样的“古味新音”似乎有好长一段时间不在原声带市场上出现。不过，马友友的大提琴虽非主轴，却是一个画龙点睛的重点，仿佛中国古琴带来的悠扬氛围，贯穿全片不断延伸，诉说着这部片子各个桥段所描述的爱恨情仇。
作曲人Jorge Calandrelli这次为电影所写的主题音乐与主题曲《月光爱人》，旋律与编曲都相当具有东方色彩，李玟的演唱也让人印象深刻。这样带有侠义江湖儿女私情的作品，由她的声音来诠释，多了一层不同的时代感和说服力。
虽然电影《卧虎藏龙》是部武侠片，但原声带中的音乐性格却比较接近历史剧般的配乐安排。可以确定的是，在东西方的乐风融合与音乐编排上，谭盾与马友友已经将它们处理的大胆而不失细腻，使这张划时代的经典杰作风格幽远、回荡而深刻。