The Master: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Soundtrack album by
Jonny Greenwood
ReleasedSeptember 11, 2012[1]
Recorded2012
GenreSoundtrack
Length46:41
LabelNonesuch
ProducerJonny Greenwood, Graeme Stewart[1]
Jonny Greenwood chronology
We Need to Talk About Kevin
(2011)		 The Master: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
(2012)		 Inherent Vice
(2014)

"What I really enjoy about writing for orchestras is realizing that it's kind of self-evident, but the fact that they are 48 individuals and it's not, you know, a preset on a keyboard [...] It's all these people that have opinions and they're making decisions about how to play."

— Jonny Greenwood on writing the orchestral score for The Master.[2][3]

The Master: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack to the 2012 film The Master directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams. The album released by Nonesuch Records on September 11, 2012,[4] comprised eleven compositions from the original score by Jonny Greenwood, whom he had previously collaborated with Anderson on There Will Be Blood (2007).[5][6] The soundtrack further accompanied four recordings from late-1930s to early-1950s.[7][8] The score received critical acclaim and numerous accolades.

Track listing

All music is composed by Jonny Greenwood except as noted below

No.TitlePerformerLength
1."Overtones" 2:20
2."Time Hole" 1:42
3."Back Beyond" 3:42
4."Get Thee Behind Me Satan"Ella Fitzgerald3:47
5."Alethia" 4:06
6."Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree (with Anyone Else But Me)"Madisen Beaty1:36
7."Atomic Healer" 1:24
8."Able-Bodied Seamen" 3:54
9."The Split Saber" 3:41
10."Baton Sparks" 2:20
11."No Other Love"Jo Stafford3:00
12."His Master's Voice" 3:34
13."Application 45 Version 1" 5:40
14."Changing Partners"Helen Forrest2:42
15."Sweetness of Freddie" 3:25
Total length:46:41

Complete score

In December 2012, The Weinstein Company released a comprehensive score from Greenwood's album as a part of their For Your Consideration campaign for the 2012–13 film awards season.[9] The album featured alternative versions of Greenwood's score that were not included in the soundtrack.[10]

No.TitleLength
1."Baton Sparks"1:06
2."Able Bodied Seamen" (V1)3:51
3."Time Hole" (V1)1:08
4."Time Hole" (V2)1:48
5."The Split Sabre Combined"2:37
6."Overtones" (V1)2:33
7."Alethia"4:15
8."Overtones" (V2)1:36
9."Able Bodied Seamen" (V2)6:44
10."His Masters Voice"3:30
11."Application 45" (V1)6:11
12."Overtones" (V3)2:03
13."Overtones" (V4 and V5)0:47
14."Back Beyond"1:54
15."Sweetness Of Freddie"2:33
16."Overtones" (V6)2:25
17."Back Beyond Credits"3:45
Total length:48:45

Reception

Greenwood's score received acclaim from critics. The review aggregating website Metacritic, assigned a score 74 out of 100 from 16 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[11]

Heather Phares of AllMusic giving 4-stars to the album, wrote "Most of Greenwood's compositions convey a simmering sense of tension and marred, ambiguous beauty that occasionally resolves itself into more definite emotions such as mysticality, sense of danger, or poignancy. This uneasy listening provides a masterful backdrop for Anderson's film and also makes for fascinating listening in its own right, while once again separating Greenwood from more predictable composers."[12] Ryan Bray of Consequence assigned a C+ grade to the soundtrack and wrote "The Master isn’t a Radiohead record, but at points it’s easy to suspect that it could be. Radiohead’s music has become increasingly cinematic in scope, and their songs draw much of their power from the ability to evoke vivid, often cynical imagery. Anderson’s film called for just that, and Greenwood here delivers a score worthy of the filmmaker’s faith and trust [...] the highest compliment that can be paid The Master soundtrack is that it furthers that sense of excitement. Greenwood has delivered a score that’s both haunting and beautiful, and if Anderson’s film is even half as strangely inspired, we’re all in for something good."[13] Jon Clark writing for Drowned in Sound, gave 8/10 to the album, summarising "Those expecting a Radiohead-like album may be disappointed, but many aspects of what make them a great band are firmly in place here; cinematic and experimental, it is a very much a work of their guitarist."[14]

Howard Gorman of MusicOMH assigned four-and-a-half out of five and wrote "Greenwood has recorded an eerie yet stunning score, and if Anderson’s production is just as aspiring then filmgoers are in for a real treat for the senses."[15] Analysing the album, James Montgomery of MTV had complimented the soundtrack as "positivelly marvelous" being enveloped and enthralled by its "scope and intimacy", he further wrote "Greenwood's score is as much a character as any of the actors, plays just as vital a role in creating the film's surreal, psychological edge. It just may be the best score you'll hear all year (or, more probably, the only one), as mercurial and multilayered as The Master itself. It works on a level that goes beyond mere accompaniment."[16] Music critic Jonathan Broxton called the score as "intelligent musical composition" giving four stars to the album.[17] Sean Wilson of Mfiles wrote "Greenwood's distinctive, unusual and striking work is among the best of 2012, an acute musical distillation of a tormented state of mind."[18]

Peter Travers from Rolling Stone called as "haunting" and "hypnotic".[19] Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian called Greenwood's "unsettling score" strongly contributed the film.[20] Joe Morgenstern of The Wall Street Journal called the score as "eerie" and "dissonant".[21] David Edelstein of Vulture wrote "While Anderson paints with light, composer Jonny Greenwood is painting with sound — electrified strings, atonal horns, reworkings of Penderecki and Bartók. (Even the soundtrack’s old standards like “No Other Love” and “You Go to My Head” have a chill.)"[22] Oliver Lyletton of IndieWire wrote "Jonny Greenwood's percussive, unpredictable score might even exceed his astonishing work on “There Will Be Blood.”[23] She called it as one of the "best soundtracks of 2012".[24]

Adam Woodward of Little White Lies reviewed that Greenwood's "fretful jazz-infused score" reflects the film's polarised mood, along with the cinematography and art direction.[25] Anthony Lane of The New Yorker claimed that Greenwood's "rich and inventive score is used with such unceasing fervor that you almost want it, now and then, to take a break and leave the action in peace".[26] Mark Adams of Screen International wrote "Equally striking is Jonny Greenwood wonderful score that is pitched perfectly and grips right from the first scenes in the South Pacific."[27] Dave Calhoun of Time Out called the score as "spare, jaunty and eccentric".[28] Calum Marsh of Slant Magazine called the score as "serious" and "propulsive",[29]

Accolades

Award / Association Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref(s)
Chicago Film Critics Association December 17, 2012 Best Original Score Jonny Greenwood Won [30]
Critics' Choice Movie Awards January 10, 2013 Best Score Jonny Greenwood Nominated [31]
[32]
Georgia Film Critics Association January 2013 Best Original Score Jonny Greenwood Nominated [33]
[34]
Houston Film Critics Society January 5, 2013 Best Original Score The Master Nominated [35]
[36]
International Cinephile Society February 11, 2013 Best Original Score Jonny Greenwood Runner-up [37]
[38]
Los Angeles Film Critics Association December 9, 2012 Best Music Jonny Greenwood Runner-up [39]
San Diego Film Critics Society December 11, 2012 Best Score Jonny Greenwood Won [40]
Satellite Awards December 16, 2012 Best Original Score Jonny Greenwood Nominated [41]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association December 10, 2012 Best Score Jonny Greenwood Won [42]
[43]
World Soundtrack Awards October 19, 2013 Best Original Score of the Year Jonny Greenwood Nominated [44]

Best original score disqualification

In September 2012, an article from Vulture written by Seth Colter Walls highlighted that possiblities of Greenwood's score for The Master being disqualified for nomination at the Academy Award for Best Original Score at the 85th Academy Awards as two of its pieces were derived from Greenwood's orchestral piece "48 Seconds to Polymorphia" which premiered in late-2011. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' rules for Original Score nomination stated that cues written specifically for the motion picture could be qualified for the award nomination, and such cues must be recorded specifically for the motion picture prior to any other usage. The rule also stated that scores diluted by the use of tracked themes and pre-existing music would be ruled ineligible for submission, even though 35% of the pre-existing material should be used in the film.[45]

Walls felt that two of the cues: "Overtones" and "Baton Sparks" contained music inspired from the orchestral piece, either partially or entirely. In the former, the track started differently than the original cue while in the 113rd second, the piece started similarly identical to the album. Whereas the latter was heavily inspired from the piece. The score was performed by the Scottish Ensemble and AUKSO Orchestra, which performed the orchestral piece and was being recorded by the same engineers in Kraków, Poland.[45] Greenwood's There Will Be Blood score was disqualified from the Original Score nomination as less than half of the complete score had been derived from his piece "Popcorn Superhet Receiver".[46][47]

In contrast to Walls' claims, The Hollywood Reporter critic Scott Feinberg claimed Greenwood's score would be one of the frontrunners for the Best Original Score nomination.[48] The Weinstein Company also claimed the possibilities that the score would be qualified as most of the material were specifically written for the film.[45] The score was disqualified from being nominated at the Academy Awards, partly due to the inspiration of the cues from the aforementioned piece and the box-office underperformance attributed to losing out specific categories for nomination.[49]

Credits

Credits adapted from Nonesuch Records official website:[4]

References

  1. 1 2 Phares, Heather. "The Master [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]". Allmovie. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on November 4, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Radiohead's Guitarist Adapts To Life In Widescreen". National Public Radio. September 15, 2012. Archived from the original on September 21, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Jonny Greenwood Talks to NPR's 'Weekend Edition' About Writing for Orchestra, As in New Film Score for The Master". Nonesuch Records. September 17, 2012. Archived from the original on September 23, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  4. 1 2 "'The Master' Soundtrack". Nonesuch Records. September 17, 2012. Archived from the original on September 23, 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2012.
  5. ↑ Battan, Carrie (December 8, 2011). "Jonny Greenwood Confirmed to Score New Paul Thomas Anderson Film". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on September 6, 2014. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  6. ↑ Perpetua, Matthew (December 6, 2011). "Radiohead Guitarist Signs On to Score Upcoming Film". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 5, 2021. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Details Revealed for Release of Jonny Greenwood's Score for Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master". Pitchfork. August 14, 2012. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Listen to Johnny Greenwood's Entire Score for The Master". Collider. September 11, 2012. Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  9. ↑ "'The Master' Score". twcguilds.com. The Weinstein Company. December 31, 2012. Archived from the original on March 2, 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
  10. ↑ Jagernauth, Kevin (December 30, 2012). "Listen: Jonny Greenwood's Unreleased Score For 'The Master'". IndieWire. Archived from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  11. ↑ "The Master [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] – Jonny Greenwood". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on February 2, 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  12. ↑ Phares, Heather. "The Master [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] – Jonny Greenwood". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on March 19, 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  13. ↑ Bray, Ryan (September 11, 2012). "Jonny Greenwood – The Master OST". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on November 8, 2014. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  14. ↑ Clark, Jon (October 31, 2012). "Album Review: Jonny Greenwood – The Master". Drowned in Sound. Silentway. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  15. ↑ Gorman, Howard (November 5, 2012). "Jonny Greenwood – The Master OST". musicOMH. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  16. ↑ Montgomery, James (September 14, 2012). "'The Master' Soundtrack: As Haunted As The Film Itself". MTV. Archived from the original on September 23, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  17. ↑ Broxton, Jonathan (October 4, 2012). "THE MASTER – Jonny Greenwood". moviemusicuk.us. Archived from the original on June 14, 2013. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
  18. ↑ "The Master by Jonny Greenwood: a review of the film score soundtrack from mfiles". Mfiles. Archived from the original on March 15, 2013. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  19. ↑ Travers, Peter (September 10, 2012). "The Master". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 19, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  20. ↑ Bradshaw, Peter (November 1, 2012). "The Master – review". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  21. ↑ Morgenstern, Joe (September 13, 2012). "Dazzling Drama About, and by, a 'Master'". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  22. ↑ Edelstein, David (September 10, 2012). "Edelstein: There Won't Be Blood in Paul Thomas Anderson's Chilly, Cerebral The Master". Vulture. Archived from the original on September 12, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  23. ↑ Lyttelton, Oliver (September 1, 2012). "Venice Review: 'The Master' Is Paul Thomas Anderson's Most Complex And Distinctive Film To Date". IndieWire. Archived from the original on May 30, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  24. ↑ The Playlist Staff (December 14, 2012). "The Best Film Soundtracks & Scores Of 2012". IndieWire. Archived from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  25. ↑ Woodward, Adam. "The Master review – A technically flawless work of oceanic depth". Little White Lies. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  26. ↑ Lane, Anthony (September 10, 2012). "Sail Away". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  27. ↑ Adams, Mark (September 1, 2012). "The Master". Screen. Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  28. ↑ Calhoun, Dave (September 3, 2012). "The Master". Time Out. Archived from the original on September 24, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  29. ↑ Marsh, Calum (September 7, 2012). "Review: The Master". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on September 7, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  30. ↑ Knegt, Peter (December 17, 2012). "Zero Dark Thirty Tops Chicago Film Critics Awards". IndieWire. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  31. ↑ Knegt, Peter (January 10, 2013). "Argo Leads 2013 Critics Choice Award Winners". IndieWire. Archived from the original on September 10, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  32. ↑ Lyttelton, Oliver (December 11, 2012). "Basically Every Movie Nominated In BFCA Critics Choice Awards Lineup; Lincoln Leads Field". IndieWire. Archived from the original on May 13, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  33. ↑ "Georgia Film Critics Association 2012 winners". Georgia Entertainment News. January 18, 2013. Archived from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  34. ↑ "2012 Awards". Georgia Film Critics Association. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  35. ↑ Knegt, Peter (January 6, 2013). "Argo Leads Houston Film Critics' Society Awards". IndieWire. Archived from the original on February 5, 2017. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  36. ↑ Leydon, Joe (January 5, 2013). "Houston critics fete Argo". Variety. Archived from the original on June 3, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  37. ↑ Stevens, Beth (February 11, 2013). "2013 ICS Award Winners". International Cinephile Society. Archived from the original on February 27, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  38. ↑ Stevens, Beth (January 17, 2013). "2013 ICS Award Nominees". International Cinephile Society. Archived from the original on February 27, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  39. ↑ Kilday, Gregg (December 9, 2012). "Amour Named Best Film by Los Angeles Film Critics". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 11, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  40. ↑ "San Diego Film Critics Select Top Films for 2012". San Diego Film Critics Society. December 11, 2012. Archived from the original on May 30, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  41. ↑ Knegt, Peter (December 17, 2012). "Silver Linings Sweeps 2012 Satellite Award Winners". IndieWire. Archived from the original on August 19, 2017. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  42. ↑ Knegt, Peter (December 9, 2012). "Washington Film Critics Go For Zero Dark Thirty, Day-Lewis, Chastain". IndieWire. Archived from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  43. ↑ Zakarin, Jordan (December 10, 2012). "Zero Dark Thirty Notches Three More Awards From Washington D.C. Area Critics". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 12, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  44. ↑ Chagollan, Steve (April 16, 2013). "World Soundtrack Awards' Nominations Include Danna, Desplat, Marianelli and Newman". Variety. Archived from the original on June 1, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  45. 1 2 3 Walls, Seth Colter (September 21, 2012). "The Master: Will Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood Get Locked Out of the Oscar Race Again?". Vulture. Archived from the original on September 24, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  46. ↑ "Jonny Greenwood Denied an Oscar Nomination for Some Stupid Reason". Vulture. January 22, 2008. Archived from the original on September 25, 2014. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  47. ↑ NME (January 22, 2008). "Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood's soundtrack ineligible for Oscar". NME. Archived from the original on January 24, 2018. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  48. ↑ Feinberg, Scott (September 16, 2012). "Feinberg Forecast: Scott Feinberg's Initial Assessment of the Oscars Landscape". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 1, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  49. ↑ Cunningham, Todd (October 15, 2012). "'The Master' May Win Awards, But It's a Box Office Loser So Far". TheWrap. Archived from the original on November 9, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
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