Max Richter: ‘Hamnet’ soundtrack

A stunning and intensely moving story, written by one brilliant writer about another brilliant writer, is coming to the cinema with a soundtrack by one of my favourite modern composers. And now the soundtrack for ‘Hamnet’ by Max Richter is coming out on Decca Records.

Richter’s music has accompanied some great storytelling including Bridgerton, Peaky Blinders and the often terrifying Black Mirror. The soundtrack for the movie of Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet is similarly evocative and perfect for the action on screen.

The story behind Hamnet is tragic, but it inspired William Shakespeare’s epic Hamlet and now the film (released already in the US and in a few days in the UK and Australia) promises much both visually and aurally. Starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, directed by Chloé Zhao, we’re expecting another award-winning work.

The music is scintillating and stands alone as a collection that begins with Of Agnes, a brief theme that sets the tone and Richter explains: “In composing the score, I used the basic elements of Elizabethan music—period instrumentation, grammar, and sensibility—but applied them in ways that emerge directly from the story’s psychology. Having read the script before shooting, I sketched ideas reflecting themes of familial love and loss, our place in the natural world, and Agnes’ inner journey. Chloe incorporated some of these during filming, and they also informed the edit, providing a foundation for the musical architecture.

“Agnes is the film’s fulcrum, and I developed a choral language for her that underpins much of the story. The women’s voices are used in ways an Elizabethan composer would recognize, as well as purely for psychological and emotional colour. It was a joy to work on this remarkable film with such an extraordinary creative team.”

One of the most beautiful tunes is Of Remembrance, a simple piano theme that seems to cut right into the listener’s heart before the strings enter and help the tension rise. For anyone who has ever lost someone close, the soundtrack promises much from the film and I’m looking forward to seeing it next week.