The Tragedy of Macbeth (soundtrack)
The Tragedy of Macbeth (Soundtrack from the Apple Original Film) is the soundtrack to the 2021 film The Tragedy of Macbeth, directed by Joel Coen in his first sole directorial outing, starring Denzel Washington. The film's orchestral score accompanied the 14-track soundtrack which was composed by Carter Burwell and also featured dialogues spoken by Washington, Frances McDormand, Kathryn Hunter amongst others. Milan Records released the film's soundtrack digitally on December 24, 2021, and physically on January 14, 2022.
| The Tragedy of Macbeth (Soundtrack from the Apple Original Film) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Film score by | ||||
| Released | December 24, 2021 | |||
| Recorded | 2021 | |||
| Genre | Film score | |||
| Length | 30:27 | |||
| Label | Milan | |||
| Producer | Carter Burwell | |||
| Carter Burwell chronology | ||||
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Development
editIn June 2020, it was announced that Carter Burwell would score music for The Tragedy of Macbeth, after associating in all of Coen brothers' films except Inside Llewyn Davis (2013).[1] William Shakespeare's play Macbeth had minimal or mostly nullified music and the adapted script by Joel also followed the suit. Burwell received the script, also admitted that the film is dense with dialogue where "there wasn't a lot of space just for music",[2] which reaffirmed when he received a part of the footage shot before production haled due to COVID-19 pandemic, and complimented Joel's decision to film it entirety in sound stages to bring the ambience and also being untethered from reality.[3]
"We settled on this idea that the dialogue is often really the melody and that the score is the accompaniment to that. So by viewing it that way and having the music in a whole set of octaves where it doesn't interfere with the human voice, that helped just as a concept."
— Carter Burwell[4]
In order to ensure that the score should not drown out the text, he employed the cello and bass in the lowest two octaves as they were guided by the rhythm of the play, adding "Joel had written right into the script this sense of rhythm, of beats that he achieves by drips of water or blood or even hallucinations on the part of Lady Macbeth when she hears things beating in the castle [...] We spent a lot of time figuring out how to integrate that with the music."[2] Most of the score being integrated with the action of the sequences and dialogues, that combined with the musical landscape of cello and bass.[2] A solo fiddle also accompanied sparsely where it goes off pitch.[5]
Recording of the string instruments and orchestral elements was proven to be challenging with restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was inspired by Bernard Herrmann's score for Psycho (1960) and thought on string players could wear masks allowing the recording process to be smoothly processed.[4] The string sounds evoke the feel of a "black-and-white horror film" where the basses do biting attacks, and the cellos do bouncy vibratos.[5] He wanted to develop a love theme for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth but refrained it as it would distract the film's disturbing tone.[5]
Critical reception
editA. O. Scott of The New York Times wrote "The strings of Carter Burwell's score sometimes sound like birds of prey, and literal crows disrupt the somber, boxy frames with bursts of nightmarish cacophony."[6] Odie Henderson of RogerEbert.com called it as a "great, brooding musical score".[7] David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter praised the "gut-churning sound design and powerful use of Carter Burwell's suspenseful score, full of thundering percussion and insidious strings."[8] Justin Chang, in his review for National Public Radio, said "Carter Burwell's score sets an ominous mood, complemented by what sounds like an executioner's drumbeats."[9]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Artist(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Fair Is Foul" | Kathryn Hunter | 1:50 |
| 2. | "My Black Desires" | 1:19 | |
| 3. | "Come What Come May" | Denzel Washington | 3:03 |
| 4. | "Leave All the Rest to Me" |
| 2:52 |
| 5. | "Blood Will Have Blood" | 1:45 | |
| 6. | "Is This a Dagger?" | Washington | 2:08 |
| 7. | "Something Wicked This Way Comes" | 3:25 | |
| 8. | "Be Not Found Here" | 1:34 | |
| 9. | "Out Damned Spot" |
| 3:47 |
| 10. | "Birnam Wood" | 2:35 | |
| 11. | "Come Seeling Night" | 1:21 | |
| 12. | "Tomorrow and Tomorrow" | Washington | 1:20 |
| 13. | "The End of Macbeth" | 3:28 | |
| Total length: | 30:27 | ||
Accolades
edit| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Music in Media Awards | November 17, 2021 | Best Original Score in an Independent Film | Carter Burwell | Nominated | [10] [11] |
| St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards | December 19, 2021 | Best Score | Carter Burwell | Nominated | [12] [13] |
References
edit- ^ McCluskey, Kevin (June 1, 2020). "Carter Burwell to Score Joel Coen's The Tragedy of Macbeth". Film Music Reporter. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ a b c Topel, Fred (December 4, 2021). "'The Tragedy Of Macbeth' Music Blends With Shakespearean Rhythm – Contenders New York". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Lattanzio, Ryan (June 27, 2020). "Carter Burwell Remembers the 'No Country for Old Men' Score That Never Was". IndieWire. Archived from the original on November 27, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ a b Eng, Joyce (January 22, 2022). "How 'Psycho' inspired composer Carter Burwell's 'very bass-y' score for 'The Tragedy of Macbeth' [Exclusive Video Interview]". GoldDerby. Archived from the original on May 30, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ a b c Burlingame, Jon (December 3, 2021). "Carter Burwell Mines Thriller Genre for 'Tragedy of Macbeth' Score". Variety. Archived from the original on January 19, 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Scott, A. O. (December 22, 2021). "'Tragedy of Macbeth' Review: The Thane, Insane, Slays Mainly in Dunsinane". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 18, 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Henderson, Odie (December 23, 2021). "The Tragedy of Macbeth movie review (2021)". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on January 17, 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Rooney, David (September 24, 2021). "Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand in Joel Coen's 'The Tragedy of Macbeth': Film Review | NYFF 2021". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Chang, Justin (December 23, 2021). This 'Macbeth' adaptation distills Shakespeare's tragedy to its furious essence (Radio broadcast). National Public Radio. Archived from the original on December 31, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Grein, Paul (November 4, 2021). "Ariana Grande, Beyonce & More Vie for Hollywood Music in Media Awards: Complete Film Nominations List". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 9, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
- ^ Grein, Paul (November 17, 2021). "No Time to Die Wins at 2021 Hollywood Music in Media Awards: Full List of Film Music Winners". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
- ^ Neglia, Matt (December 12, 2021). "The 2021 St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
- ^ Neglia, Matt (December 19, 2021). "The 2021 St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Archived from the original on December 20, 2021. Retrieved February 8, 2022.