Music sets its target on (heart)strings
Paul Saunderson Three Identical Strangers
Rating: (4 / 5)
Lakeshore Records Published on 14/12/2018
TT: 57:03
For those fans who (just) think about music for the audiovisual as film music, you have a completely new world to discover. One of those “discoveries” and surprises usually came from documentaries. An audiovisual format that, usually, plays through a very specific set of rules and internal rhythms that oblige a musical score to maintain an important background role. But that does not means for music to became an ambiental ornament.
“Three Identical Strangers” is a good example for it. A thought provoking, emotional rollercoaster of a story: three identical twins separated at birth that meet again, years later, without never knowing about the others. A documentary that reveals, little by little, an intricate story full of twists and turns. Which allows Saunderson to create a score that follow suite, and really allow us to connect with it, helping us feel the raw emotion of what these boys went through.
Paul Saunderson is a British film composer and multi-instrumentalist who is as equally at home with orchestras as he is with contemporary music. Something that shows in this score. Although is mainly the string pieces, the ones that would catch our attention, we would also hear more modern melodic sounds that bring some Thomas Newman and James Newton Howard’s vibes our way. But if there is something I really love about Saunderson’s music is the way he includes diversity and emotion within his writing. Showing that he is someone that is not afraid to push the boundaries of acoustic, orchestral and electronic music.
As the composer explain us: “the score was recorded with the London Contemporary Orchestra (two cellos, violin and a piano), along with a range of bowed metals, bowed guitars and electronics”. But the main highlight of the score is the strings and piano interplay. From the initial “Reunited” or the wonderful emotion of “Nature vs. Nurture”, we are hooked up on the music. From there, Saunderson develops a score that works mostly as film score. With a lot of nuances and styles, fitting the developments that start filling up the screen.
“With this line up I was able to create interesting organic textures proving useful for the cues relating to mental illness and the darker psychological moments in the film”. From the fun of “Walk Through College” or “The Third”, to the more ambiental and dark sounding cues (“Bottle of Champagne”, “Not Justifiable” ), or the sadness of “I Left” or “Wedding Videos”, the music fills up a very intricate story helping us to relate to what is going on.
In addition, the music gives us tips in advance on the story. If somebody in the audience do not get the fact that in this story about triplets, there is only two of them talking, the music also helps. The unusual choice for two cellos, instead of the traditional trio line up was made to help create an unconventional sound, with the first cello playing mostly high in its register, almost fragile in its timbre. Giving the music a melancholy feel and a delicate sound that tells a lot about what is going on.
Composer mentions how “from the beginning of the process the director and I set out to create a very organic and cinematic score. Having a small collection of instruments helped to keep the music focused and give it an identity. It was important to me to keep the music sounding cohesive despite the large range of styles and moods that occur”. But is easy to appreciate it once you start listening to it.
Obviously, the music turns more dramatic by the moment it starts its second half. As the story reveals a lot of what was going on behind the curtain. But it shows a perfect balance of storytelling, being powerful and emotive where the score needed to be without never becoming too overwhelming. Just the final eight minutes of score shows us a wonderful touch of class with “All About Nurture”, “Findings” and “Three Identical Strangers”. Scoring this kind of true story would be a challenge for anybody, as the film deals with very sensitive real subject matters. But Saunderson shows he has enough quality in his writing to pass this test with high marks. One of the new names in audiovisual music to keep an eye on.
Listen to the score on Spotify
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